Just Like You
by Bright Green Eyes
Summary: A love like no other. A harsh separation. Jagged Change. Reunion, tension. 25 years of disdain, can they learn to rejoin? Can they overcome the obstacles of the past and present? B
1. Official Disclaimer: ProgressAuthors N

1/2/07

Happy New Year!

I stole this idea form Seraphyn author of many wonderful stories, I hope she doesn't mind. This way when I can't get to update I'll let you know by the first chapter if you check. All credit for the offical authors note/disclaimer chapter goes to her.

Current Just Like You: I've been under major plot revision due to the events of New Moon. I'm not going to stray from the original plot but some things just wouldn't have worked. So I apologize for the lack of updates after the New Moon arrival.

Pertaining to the coming chapters I'm not sure how many there will be left but is coming to a close end. There will be no sequel but I will most likely have an alternative way the Grays and the Cullens met.

Thank you for all the wonderful reviews and support

- Bright Green Eyes/Chaos

Official Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight written by Stephenie Meyer or any works involved in this fanfic.


	2. Golden Eyes

One. Painful Memories It had been twenty five years since my heart had been broken in a million little pieces. Twenty Five long years. The reason my heart was shattered, was due to the only person I had ever really loved, and ever would. Edward Cullen.

It had been a very cloudy day, rain pouring buckets on top of little Forks. I had been sitting in my tiny bedroom on my old twin bed, listening to my favorite CD. The one that reminded me very much of Edward. I found nothing wrong with the day, it was usual for Forks. Of course I also hadn't anticipated all the things I would trip over either, but my clumsiness always prevailed. I was used to it by now. I was eighteen, and I knew myself pretty well.

The wondows had flown open, causing such a shock wave through me, I ended up on the floor, my CD player on the opposite part of the room.

"Bella? A voice called. The terror that had been within released, it was only Edward. "Bella?" He sounded frantic, as f he couldn't sense me laying on the ground only a few feet away.

"Yeah," I replied his call, groaning as I sat up rubbing the back of my head.

"What are you doing on the floor," He had asked, sprinting to my side.

"You scared me so...I fell off."

He chuckled softly, helping me back onto the bed, sitting down next to me. His golden eyes boring into mine. I felt paralyzed, I couldn't breathe or even move when I was around him. My heart pulsated through my veins.

"Ravenous vampires don't scare you, of course, but a window slamming open, yes that causes all the fear in the world." He was mocking me and for some reason I loved every moment of it.

"You'd b-be correct on that," I stammered lamely. He smiled, my favorite heartbreaking, crooked smile. Literally my heart did a flip flop in my chest. He eyed me warily.

"I think your pulse has had enough for one night."

"No. Don't leave," I begged. I couldn't even begin to explain how much his leaving would affect me. It would be like stabbing a white hot knife right through my beating heart. He seemed to sense this, and pulled me closer to his stone cold body. I rested my head on his chest, listening intently to his even breathing and nothing else. My favorite sound.

"I won't...ever," he promised. "Unless..." He trailed off, suggesting exactly what terrified me. My back went rigid, I refused to talk about us parting. Ever.

Hoping to end this conversation quickly, I finished his sentence for him. "Unless it's to protect me." I couldn't see him but I knew he was nodding.

"I'll do anything to keep you out of harms way," he whispered, sliding his cold lips over my hair. I trembled in response.

"Well it is a full time job, keeping me out of trouble's way," I joked, trying to lighten up the moment. "You ready for it?"

"Always."

We were silent for the longest time. Him listening to my erratic pulse, and me listnening to the most beautiful sound in the entire world. Eventually my pulse slowed, and our breathing became in sync. It was the picture perfect moment, and then it fell apart.

Charlie slammed the front door down stairs, very loudly. His simple action caused a chain of events that I was barely aware of. The sound of the slamming door, just like the window, startled me out of my comfortable reverie. I flew backwards, out of Edwards protective grasp, and fell off my bed again. This time I wasn't as lucky. I hit the glass vase, holding the red rose Edward had given me three nights previous. The glass shattered, sending shards of broken glass into my back and arm.

I yelped in pain. I felt one piece of glass in partuculkar digging into my skin, causing red droplets of blood to ooze down my pale back. Edward stiffened at the scent of my floral smelling blood. He had stopped breathing, and was frozen on my bed. Very slowly, he turned his head in my direction. His beautiful topaz eyes were flat black.

My breathe caught in my throat, as I lay motionless on the floor. I could sense his hunger for the freely flowing blood from there. He curled his lip, barring his teeth ,growling menacingly. Oh no, was he really going to kill me.

A very odd inner clam filled me. It was a warped, pathetic, very twisted opinion, but it was the only thing that kept me hanging on. If I was going to die, not that I really wanted to, but if I was going to die, atleast I wouuld be statiating his thirst. It was crazy, but I felt the slightest better for it. In the hundred years he had been a vampire, he had felt the pains of the thirst eating away at him. And now he would be satisfied, for a little while any ways. Even if it did end in my demise.

I loved him with all my heart.

And then he began to advance, standing up from the bed and lowering himself till he was inches from my bloody arm. I choked on my breathe, trying to speak, to tell him how much I loved him. I was paralyzed, my mouth unable to form coherent words.

He picked up my arm gently, and drew it to his lips, ready to suck me dry. "No, Edward don't, you'll hate yourself for it if you do," I managed to choke out. He hesitated, looking up at me. "Please Edward don't do this. I love you, don't do this. Remember..."The loss of blood in my back was making me feel dizzy. "Remember how you'd always be with me forever...at the...prom. How my love would be enough... enough for... for forever." He had stopped, dropping my arm instantly, his eyes still the coal black color. But now they held a new emotion. Humanity. In a flash, he was standing with his back pressed against the window, his face ashen, nostrils flared. His face was now thick with aguish, anger, and extreme sorrow. He was suffering just being in the same room as I. "Edward," I whispered, my head spinning.

"I can't," he whispered, his voice bleak. "I won't let myself hurt you."

And then he was gone. There wasn't any evidence that he'd even been there, except for the open window, and my fluttering curtains. It had stopped raining now.

With all my strength, I picked myself up off the floor, running to the open window. My head spun, when I did so, but I kept myself pushing on. I stared, wide-eyed out the window. It showed the usual view, and Edward wasn't in it.

My body was instantly racked with sobs. Tears flowed freely down my cheeks, I Let a small moan escape from my lips. I wanted to jump into the grand canyon, had Edward really left me? For good?

I felt the semi- dried blood on my back and arms. There wasn't any glass imbedded in my skin, and the bleeding had stopped. I had lost a lot of blood though.

I dragged myself towards the bathroom, still sobbing openly. Charlie didn't seem to hear me, which made things easier to figure out. I started the shower, and stepped into it. Clothes and all. I was so delerious, in so much pain, I couldn't even think straight. The blood flowed down the drain, cleaning my back and t-shirt. At the sight of it, I felt sick.

I hated blood at that moment. It was the cause of so much pain and agony. Blood. One little word, had changed so much.

My hate was replaced by an empty hole that gaped in my heart, which was worse than the hate. It was an agony, nothing could fill the empty space Edward had just left. I didn't care where my life would ever take me. I was already dead on the inside.

Some how I manage to get myself out of the piping hot shower, and tak e off my wet clothes, and into a comfortable towel. But to me, the towel was like burlap, pressing hard against my skin. I made my way, not feeling anything but the empty space in my heart, back to my room, where I put on fresh pajamas, and crawled into my bed.

I lay beneath the covers, eyes-wide, my body in shock, for the whole entire afternoon, and then the night. I was beyond tears, for that moment. I couldn't think of anything but Edward. His face. His voice. My lullaby. And then, when the sun was rising behind the gray clouds of Forks, did I break down crying.

I sobbed so loud, that I couldn't even hear Charlie come up and knock on my door.

"Bells? Honey? Are you all right?" I didn't know how, but I managed to croak out a sentence, before submitting myself to the ocean of tears that had soaked up on my pillow. I wanted to drown myself in them.

"I-I'm f-f-fine dad."

"I'm going fishing in a few hours honey, do you want me to stay home?" The concern in his voice was overwhelming, I wanted nothing but to leave him alone. Not to burden him with my endless heart ache. I wanted to leave him. I wanted to to leave this too small room. I wanted to leave Forks!

"No, dad, go I'll be fine. I j-just s-stepped on a piece of g-glass."

He left an hour later, without telling me good-bye. I was thankful he hadn't just barged into my room, and seen what a mess I really was. Because I really was a mess. An emotional, chaotic mess.

I fell asleep fifteen minutes after Charlie had gone fishing, and woke five hours later. My stomach grumbled, and I sat up in my bed. My vision was blurred, because of my tears. My eyes red and swollen shut. I left my room, or my hole as it was known now, to find something to eat in the kitchen.

Charlie had left a note, saying he had gone on a four day fishing trip at his usual spot. He'd even aqquired a cell phone, in case I needed him. That was not a very Charlie thing to do.

For a very short moment, I considered calling Charlie and asking mhim if he'd come home to hold my hand as I cried over Edward. I dismissed this train of thought immediatly. There was no way I would ever get into a in depth conversation with Charlie.

I found a stale box of cereal in the cupboard. I poured myself a bowl and then sat down to dine. I didn't taste it much. It tasted like cardboard. I threw it away after the third spoonful, dumping my bowl into the sink, not washing it. I would do it in the morning. Now I had to find out the truth.

I grabbed my keys from the counter top, and lifelessly walked out the door. I looked up just in case the silver volvo was waiting for me in the driveway. It wasn't.

My heart fell.

Slowly, I got into my truck and revved the engine. It roared to life, and I as off down the road. I stared straight out the front window, pushing all thoughts of what I was going to do out of my brain. I had to find out if I was imaging all of my pain.

The Cullen's perfect house, loomed closer as I turned onto the perfect lawn. I parked a few feet away from the porch, not a wise decision, but I did it any way. I got out of my big, red truck, and went up to the front door. I knocked, no one asnwered. I knocked again, this time a little louder. Eventually my knocking became a loud pounding on their front door. With enough of my banging, the door creaked open. It wasn't even locked, I felt like a complete idiot.

Cautiously, I peeked inside. Everything was gone. I pushed the door farther open, and stood frozen in the Cullen's door frame. Everything was gone. The whole first floor was absolutely empty, everything, the piano, the comfortable looking chair. It was all gone.

I sprinted up the stairs, sobbing harshly. Everything, Carlisle's office was empty, Alice and Jasper's room. I tried every single room. Nothing was in them,they were gone.

I had one room left to check. I took baby steps as I appraoched his door. I half expected to find him in their, with the crooked smile on his face, saying surprise. And when he saw my worried face and my tears, he would hold me in his arms. But no, it wasn't like that. I pushed open the door, it was empty too.

I traced every inch of Edward's room, my tears gone now. The empty space in my body had grown to the size of my whole heart. I felt numb. The grief hitting me like tidal wave. I sank to the floor of his room, where the golden carpet had once been. The tears were back, but they fell silently this time.

Involuntarily, my hands traced the pattern of the hard wood on the floor. Maybee, just maybee I would wake up and it was all a dream. A very painful dream. Maybe Edward was just a dream, the Cullens a dream. The more I thought it, the more convinced I became. Yes, it really was a dream. There was no such thing as vampires, or that type of perfect beauty. And then I found it.

My fingers had been tracing the floor, that they had actually gone a few feet out, spanning across the room. I hit something, a light something. It felt like a very thing skip of paper. At first, I thought I was imaging it, but then a sharp pain in my finger, realized I wasn't imagining anything. I just had just sustained a paper cut. I looked down eagerly at the slip of paper.

In the very neat scrawl, I loved so much was the word, Always

I stood up abruptly, and raced out of the house, tripping a few times before, finding my way out of the house. Never had it felt this big before, this---empty. I reached the porch, feeling slightly sick. My stomach was clenching and un-clenching in emotional agony.

I stumbled down the front steps, to the spot where the Cullens liked to park their cars. There was a indent of where the silver volvo had once been. More proof that they were real. I tripped and fell to my knees, shaking violently, my body racked with dry sobs, there was no Edward there to catch me now.

I cried for what felt like years had passed, before I stood up, my eyes still wet from the moisture that had accumulated there, I got in my car and drove away from my second home. The only home where Edward had felt free, and I with him.

I didn't return home to Charlie's house, instead I kept on driving. I drove till my truck ran out of gas, and I had to pull off the road. It wasn't even the highway, it was a dirt path leading away from the Cullen's empty home. The forest surrounded every inch of the road, and for once I didn't feel scared of it. I felt angry with it.

Just to make Edward angry, where ever he was, I entered the green leafed canopy of the forest. Instantly I was thrown into total darkness. Stubbornly, I kept on walking, until I tripped over a uprooted tree root. I fell to the ground with a groan, I had scraped my knee on the harsh bark.

"Great!" I screamed as loud as I could, gaining more volume with each syllable. "This is just great! Absolutely perfect!" I ranted on like this for atleast twenty minutes, before my voice began to grown hoarse.

When I had stopped screaming at myself in the cover of the forest. The silence pressed in around me, making me feel terrified at what I had just walked myself into. Gradually, I eased myself into a sitting position, pulling the broken twig out of my hair. The silence closed in on me, it was the most terrifying sound in the world.

My ears were listening to every movement in the dark forest, that was why I had heard the 'SNAP' of a broken twig not so far off. In fact it was very close. Too close.

I went rigid, refusing to even move my eyes in my head to look around. Fear gripped my body in a choke hold, refusing to let me escape its carefull watch. My breathing stopped, but my heart was thudding in my chest frantically.

And then I heard a roar, not Edwards's roar, but a different, more menacing feral snarl, ringing in the thick forest air. I felt a very srtong body knock me over, its teeth barred. I could see it was a man, dark black hair and very pale skin. His eyes were golden, like Edwards but he was thirsty, and they were quickly turning black. He snarled, pinning my weak body to the ground, in one motion he had bitten my writs, attempting to suck all the blood from my body.

He never finished, in the half a second he had attacked me, he was now cowering in the cover of the trees. "I'm so s-sorry," he whispered, wiping his blood stained mouth. " I never meant...I never..."

I tried to tell him that I was fine, but then the fierce inferno hit me again. It was worse than the first time, much worse. The fire shot much faster up my veins than last time, my nerves were burning in the hell fire. I arched my back, my body screaming in agony. And then I passed out.

I woke to a small lilac colored room, in a very nice white mansion. I sat up my head spinning as fast as possible. I felt like I was going to hurl. A deep sigh came from the corner of the room. My head shot over to the man in the corner much faster that I should have been able.

"Hello," a very silky voice said kindly. I winced, he was much louder than need be. "I thought you'd never wake." I studied the man, he had dark black hair, that was very shaggy, his skin as ashen as Edward's.

Edward. My stomach sank, for a very brief moment I had forgotten Edward but now he was back into my brain. I expected my eyes to fill with tears, but they didn't, though I felt like crying.

"Who are you," I spat with much more venom than I intended.

"Gideon...Gideon Gray. And i'm so sorry Isabella Swan. I truly am." He bent over, his body shaking, deep dry sobs coming through out him.

"It's ok...how do you know my name?"

"Joshua recognized you from the television. My son." He explained at the confused look I was giving him. "You were a missing person for a few days, I'm sorry for that."

"What do you mean were?" My brain was much faster than it had once been, I picked up one things he wasn't saying.

"We...we had to fake your death."

"Wh-what? Why?" He stared at me incredulously.

"I changed you, Isabella, it's all my fault." He buried his face into his black jacket. "I turned you into a vampire, I was so thirsty in the forest, I couldn;t help myself, but I stopped before...before I could kill you."

My stomach dropped out at his words. I immediatly went numb to anything he was trying to say next. Realization swopped over me. I, Isabella Swan was now a full-fledged vampire.

"I'm so sorry," Gideon apoligized again. I looked into his bright butterscotch eyes.

"It's okay," I whispered. "I understand better than you might think. I knew a clan of vampires..." My voice trailed off, I couldn't talk about the Cullens. Sweet Alice, and hilarious Emmett. And...my...my knight in shining armor---Edward. "They drank off animals too, I understand." He looked shocked by my knowledge of the vampire world. "And please call me Bella, now...tell me about your children.


	3. Old Faces

Two. Old Faces

Josh, smacked me over the head lightly in a playful kind of way. I laughed loudly.

"Josh you moron," I screeched punching him in the shoulder with extreme force. He winced, but said nothing, only taking my face in his, kissing it gently.

In the twenty- five years I had been a vampire, I had aqquired a new family. After Gideon had faked my death; a lovely little fall from Charlie's roof. It could happen, in my human life I had been excessively clumsy and I still was, but only to a point. I constantly tripped over things, but I always caught myself just in time, I wasn't graceful like my adopted father and my brothers and sister, and of course Josh.

"Me the moron?" Josh mocked in fake hurt. "Please Bella, don't tell me that, it burns my soul just for you to even throw such ludicrous words around my delicate---." I kissed him on the lips to prevent him from finishing his sentence.

"Shut up Josh."

I loved Josh, yes I did, but it was nothing compared to my love for Edward Cullen. I had given my whole entire heart to Edward and only gotten an inch of it back. That inch I divided between my family. Over my twenty-five years of vampirism, I had moved from the dreary Forks, Washington to a doubled in population town, though it was still quite tiny, farther up the Olympic Peninsula. Gideon had just made us move there, two and a half years ago, just in time for us to begin our freshmen year. For me anyway.

Josh was nineteen when he had been changed, and now looked as if he was a sophomore, which he had pretended to be. I had been stuck in very dull freshmen courses with my brother; (Josh lived under a different last name), Gabriel. He had been seventeen, when he had been turned into a vampire and played the part well. My younger sister, really was a freshman, only fourteen, but we had made her start out her new life in sixth grade. Arielle had despised us for it for several months. Lastly was our baby brother, Jamie, he had only been eleven when he had been turned, and he was forced back into the fourth grade.

Quickly after leaving the comfort of Forks, I had fallen in love with my new family. Josh had especially taken a liking to me. And for some odd reason, I complied with his affection. However it was nothing like the love I had felt for Edward. Those wounds had just recently been sewn shut, with time. And they had mended as much as they were ever going to. I stared at Josh; he was nothing like Edward, always upbeat and cheerful. He always had something dirty or positive on his mind. A special habit of his was making me feel completely embarrassed by his crude comments. It was part of his appeal; he made me laugh, like Edward never had. But it still wasn't the same.

He didn't even look like Edward, with the same long shaggy black hair as Gideon, and the bright golden eyes. He wasn't even the same shade of pale as Edward; a slight flush was always in Josh's cheeks. He claimed it was due to a very pretty girl had made him blush when he was bitten. We, myself included heartily disbelieved him.

"Zchool," Arielle yelled sprinting down the staircase, in her slight French accent. Arielle had been found, when Gideon was traveling through Paris. She had been a mess lying on the ground with her white blonde hair fanned out beneath her.

Arielle was beautiful, even more gorgeous than Rosalie was, she looked like classic ballerina, but her personality was the exact opposite of a shy dancer. My French sibling was feisty, and loved to argue, shout, and scream at every chance she got. She was the family drama queen.

"Already?" Gabriel moaned coming down the stairs massaging the back of his head.

"Yez already," she snapped, grabbing her jacket from the wicker chair.

"But weren't we just there yesterday," he complained.

"Yes Gabriel, I'm sorry, but it is a five day thing," I told him in a very stern voice. He grimaced; flipping his light brown hair out of his honey colored eyes.

"All right, let's go," Josh sighed, standing up, pulling me up after him.

"I'm driving," I shouted, grabbing the keys from coffee table.

Oh god, she's driving were all going to get into a car crash, Arielle thought.

"I heard that Arielle," I snapped. "And were not going to get into a car crash. Maybe not today, but we will someday and when we do I'm blaming it all on you. Do you understand that Miss mind reader?

"Perfectly, but we won't crash."

"You don't know that," Jamie said, galloping down the stairs combing his hair over. "The chances of a vampire actually getting into a car crash are pretty slim but still, they could happen if the said vampire was distracted." Jamie was our math genius, he wasn't nerdy looking but he was a math whiz at heart. Probability was his favorite. The elementary school teachers had placed him in my Calculus class, because they couldn't handle him.

"Thank you for the statistics Jamie, but if were ready to go---."

"Were ready Miss mind reader,"Gabriel chuckled.

I glared at him.

It was true; I was a mind reader, just like Edward. I never really understood the complexity that Edward felt when he was trying to tune out everyone's conversations. It really was a buzzing in your ear, though I had somewhat mastered it. "Let's go," I yelled at my scattered family. They all managed to find their way to the black camry that was my car. I wanted to get something as far from the Volvo make as possible, so I had opted for the camry.

Once we were all inside, I took off doing 120 miles per hour. I had immediately understood the need to drive fast, like Edward had. It was exilierhating, but my brothers and sister, and Josh despised it. It took all of twenty-five seconds to get to the school Gabriel had once timed in at midnight, each in Gideon's precious car collections.

I pulled the camry into the school's parking lot. The elementary, middle and high school were all connected together in three separate buildings, so we all clambered out. Gabriel, who never failed to make me break out in hysterics every time he made a cynical comment, got out of the camry stretching his flawless muscles. "Another day, in the very boring place I like to call hell," he muttered, shaking his head in mock disappointment. I snickered. "This isn't hell," I debated. "Bella my dear...my sweet." Josh growled at Gabriel's words, and so he stopped and got straight to the point.

"Bella to me learning monotonous things are very much like hell. I could sleep through all my classes and-still-get-an-A!" "Aw, poor Gabriel," I chided in a mock baby tone. "He dies slowly in boredom every widdle day." Gabriel glowered at me, shoving me off the sidewalk and into the grass. I looked around, checking if anybody was watching.

No one was. I crouched, and leapt on Gabriel, barreling him over. I rolled onto the side-walk and was standing again before anyone had even noticed what had happened. I heard Jamie laugh loudly behind me. "You want to be next Jamie," Gabriel joked. Jamie stopped giggling abruptly, and stared at Gabriel with mischievous eyes.

"Anytime," he challenged.

"No," I said putting a stop to any potential injuries right away. "Gideon doesn't want us half beaten to death. And you should both know that."

"Yes Bella," Jamie agreed instantly, he knew never to go against me. I glared pointedly at Gabriel, before he folded. "Yes. Bella," he sighed dejectedly.

I turned my back on them, only to hear them making silent plans to fight out of my vision. I sighed. They would never learn. Josh slipped a comforting arm around my waist and lightly brushed my lips with his. I giggled, happily, and leaned my head on his shoulder, as we walked into the school. At that moment I felt a pair of eyes on me, but I ignored the foreboding feeling that someone may be watching me.

"That reminds me," Gabriel muttered, coming up behind us. How could have scared any humans out of there minds, but Josh and I were used to Gabriel's sneakiness by now. "Two things actually. First Jamie and Arielle want a cat."

"Wh-what," I sputtered. "No! We can't have a cat, it'd be dead in a few weeks...days!" "Yes, well that's no the more pressing problem..." I gave him a wary look. "How bad?"

"Not...that bad. It depends on your variation of bad, for me it's not so terrible. For you and Gideon, Josh, the head of our little vampire clan, it might be just a little bit terrible."

"What?" "Just some other...visiting friends, I sensed them this morning when we reached the school. They're coming here." "To school!" I had stopped breathing, and shrugged myself from Josh's grip. Who were they, the only vampires I knew that could socialize with humans were the... Gabriel nodded. I gulped.

At lunch I was sure it was them, I walked across the lunchroom, it was empty except for a few humans. There was a group of familiar looking people at the table across from ours. I put my book I always brought to lunch on the table my new family always sat at. Gabriel entered the lunchroom, laughing to himself; a mischievous grin was centered on his face. He flipped a piece of light brown hair out of his handsome face, and strode up to get lunch.

All of the familiar looking people stiffened when he walked past him, but none turned to watch. Gabriel was walking towards a different table, looking lost. "Oy," I yelled. "Gabriel you idiot!" He turned to me, grinning, walking over and setting his tray of food down.

"I am not the idiot," he retorted. "Need I remind you that I am the one with quite a few extra degrees in many fields." He adjusted his collar smugly when he said this. "And do I need to remind you, to keep your voice down. Where's Josh?" Gabriel rolled his eyes dramatically. "In the hall, he was speaking to a teacher...again."

"About what? "Not correcting her in class." I laughed. "I should go and get him then." "Probably the argument looked pretty heated when I last saw him." I rushed out of the cafeteria at a slightly faster than human pace. My hair flying wildly about me. I quickly found Josh arguing with Mrs. Campbell, the calculus teacher.

"Excuse me Mrs. Campbell," I said in my most alluring voice. "Josh needs to eat his lunch now." She seemed confused for a moment, then nodded and walked off.

"Thank you," he whispered, picking me up in bridal style and carrying me into the lunchroom. I screeched in protest, but he just laughed loudly at me. He carried me right past the table of familiar looking people; they all stiffened as we passed. Josh set me down next to him, across from Gabriel, and kissed me lightly onto cheek.

"Oh, Joshua," Gabriel mocked in a fake very girly voice. "I think you and Bella have some new admirers. What cuties they are too." "Ooh where," I giggled playing along with Gabriel's charade.

"Over there Miss Isabella." I whirled around looking in the direction that Gabriel was looking, and froze. Five very familiar faces were staring straight back at me.

EPOV

Rosalie pulled up into the lot of out new school, in my new shiny silver Volvo. I merely nodded, when she had asked if she could drive today. It was the first day in a very new school. It had been twenty-five years since we had been back on the Olympic Peninsula. I hated the place for one reason only. Bella. Even after I left I kept tabs on her, but she went missing and then was found, she had slipped of the ladder, trying to climb up onto her father roof.

Typical Bella. When I had heard, my stomach had twisted and turned for years, and my heart shriveled up. I blocked myself off from all my family members. Only ten years later did I actually start speaking in full sentences again? Alice had been the most worried, she had claimed that Bella wasn't dead, but no hints of

her scent ever came to me when we returned to Forks for her memorial service. So I disbelieved her. "I smell others," Alice said wrinkling her nose.

"Others?" Emmett asked skeptically.

"I sense them too," Jasper said standing protectively over Alice.

"Well there's nothing we can do now," Rosalie scoffed, biting her nail. "What do you see Edward," Emmett mused. "Think we can take them." I shrugged; I wasn't really excited that we would have to deal with a new group of vampires.

Especially ones that probably didn't use our same hunting tactics. Even if I did really care about the vampires being there, I was a completely empty shell now. Without my Bella. None of my family tried to talk to me after that, I spotted a boy and a girl fighting, at super human strength on the pavement.

I froze; the girl was unusually beautiful, like Bella. I shook the thought off, She was dead, and I needed to remember that. We entered the school, Alice handing out each of our schedules. She stopped before me, giving me a soft look.

"Don't be sad Edward, you did it for her, so she could have a shot at being normal," she whispered. I shrugged, and walked to my first class, French. I didn't pay attention in any of my classes until lunch.

My brothers and sisters and I were the first in the lunchroom, except the girl who I had seen being pushed by the boy earlier this morning. I didn't even look at her, for that maybe she would see how lonely and pathetic I was, that I had actually thought she was Bella. Only for a moment. The boy, who I heard was named Gabriel, was walking around looking for her.

"Oy, Gabriel you idiot." She yelled, he grinned and headed over to sit by her. I could read his thoughts easily.

_Sisters, I am no idiot though._

"I am not the idiot," he snapped in a playful manor. "Need I remind you that I have a few extra degrees in many fields." I tuned out their conversation after that, turning back to my family.

"So have you seen the vampires here yet," Emmett asked eagerly, obviously hoping for some new competition.

"I had one class with one," Jasper chimed in. "Calculus, he kept correcting the teacher, of course she was wrong every time but eventually he got sent out of the room for it."

"Talk about keeping a low profile," Rosalie muttered under her breathe. I was half listening to this conversation, when the very pretty girl ran across the cafeteria faster than a human should have. Her hair was flying around her face, giving off a very familiar scent.

I stiffened, turning to watch her disappear out the cafeteria door, only to enter a few seconds later, in the arms of the boy I had seen in Jasper's mind, as the boy from calculus. I growled softly. There was no mistaking it, the girl was Bella.

My Bella and she was being carried by someone who wasn't me. Alice froze, shooting me a quick glance that nobody missed. "What is it," Jasper asked, concern evident in his soft voice. I hesitated before answering him.

"Bella," I whispered through gritted teeth. My jealously roared to life. Did she even think about me? What was she doing alive? Who was this...this...person carrying her into the lunch room? My brain was racked with questions. The most pressing gone was did she still love me? I stared over at her table, along with my brothers and sisters, watching her.

She was laughing at something Gabriel had just said. I still couldn't read her thoughts. And it frustrated me more and more. "Oh Joshua," cooed Gabriel in a mock girl voice.

"I think you and Bella have some new admirers, what cuties the are too." I froze when he had said her name, further confirmation. "Over where," Bella laughed, obviously playing along with joke. "Over there Miss Isabella." She whipped her chocolate brown hair around so fasts that it was near impossible to turn our heads away in time. She was staring directly at us. Directly at me. Her eyes went wide with shock, and then they narrowed in pure outrage. Her nostrils flared. The only thing that ran through my brain was, if looks could kill.

BPOV

I stared blankly at them, my eyes grew wide n disbelief, and then I regained control over my emotions. My eyes narrowed as I saw Edward, his perfect face and hair, once again drawing me in. I loathed every single inch of him, and this was an image from my personal hell that had been conjured up. I tried to read his mind, to see what he was thinking and found I couldn't. I tried again and again futilely never breaking our eye contact. I couldn't even get so much of a whisper from him. I now knew how frustrated Edward had felt when he couldn't hear my thoughts.

I grew angrier, this was hell. Not possible, not in the slightest bit possible. I got up slamming down my lunch tray with a loud BANG, it cracked in half, and I chucked it to Gabriel. He caught in mid-air, and turned to stare puzzedly at me. "I'll see you in a little while," I seethed. He nodded, I walked at a human pace, out of the cafeteria, and Josh came after me, chasing me out of the cafeteria. He stopped me right before I was about to step out of the lunchroom.

Only ten feet from the Cullens table. They had all followed my angry attempt at trying to ditch them. "Bella? Bella whets wrong?" Josh was nothing but concerned for me, my heart froze over. Who had I been kidding completely leading him on like this? If Edward and his family's reappearance meant anything, it was that I was still in love with them more than ever.

"I'm leaving," I whispered. Hurt skimmed across his features.

"Why?" "Please tell Gideon I'll meet up with you at the end of the year. I'll have my phone." "Where are you going?"

"I don't know, but I'll phone Gideon, I promise." "Jamie and Arielle?" I froze; Josh had hit the flaw in my escape. "You're right, I can't leave them. I'll be back later then." I raced away before he could say anymore to make me stay. To my great luck, I tripped over my own shoe, but caught myself just in time, then sprinted out of the cafeteria.

Of course I didn't think the Cullens would let me get away that easily. I heard someone chasing me down the hallway; I didn't run I knew it wasn't Edward. Alice ran up to me, stopping me in my tracks.

"Bella?" She breathed in sheer excitement.

"Hello, Alice." "Bella it really is you!" She gave me a bone-crushing hug, then let go to get a good look at me. "Bella Edward has been so miserable without you, and now your here..." She saw they dismay on my face and frowned. "Bella?"

"I don't care about Edward anymore," stated my voice flat. She flinched at my harsh words. "Tell him that. You know I'm actually surprised he didn't come running out here himself."

"He wanted to, but I thought it would be better if I talked to you. Incase you were angry with him."

"Angry doesn't even begin to cover it how I feel towards him. I don't care what happens to him; he can rot in the depths of hell. I'm sorry you have to tell him this Alice. I have no grudge against your or the others." My voice was braking, if I could have cried, tears would have poured down my cheeks. I meant none of this, but I was so angry that I would never be able to trust him ever again, so he would just leave me alone. I turned and walked away from Alice, she stood in the same place staring after me. It felt as if a monster, deep within, had come out and wanted to rip out everyone's hearts. I felt awful that Alice's heart was the first I had to destroy.

I sat in my camry listening to some Mozart classics, I had bought. I closed my eyes, remembering everything about Edward. Memories I had been suppressing resurfaced. Edward looking more likes a god than anyone had a right to, leaning against the Spanish room door, to wait for me. Him, his skin sparkling like diamonds had been imbedded into it, in the meadow. The car going back from Port Angeles, when he told me what he was. And then there was me, sinking slowly on the grass in his front yard, crying my eyes out over him. Because he had left me. My eyes flew open, the school bell rung in the distance. Loud alarm clocks like sound.

The school day was over and I was just as confused as before I had gotten into the car. I shut off my music, and kicked open the camry's door. Arielle and Jamie were making their way over to the camry, Arielle her blond hair flying around her in an angry sort of way. I read her mind without even thinking about it.

_I am never speaking to Bella or Gideon or Josh or even Gabriel ever, ever again. Sticking me in the eight grades, please. _

_I should be just as old as they are. I am definitely as smart as they are. I hate them!_

Something in the distance made me look away from Arielle. The Cullens, all of them were making their way over to my camry. "Arielle, Jamie get in the car," I yelled. Gabriel was standing next to me in a flash. He looked worried.

The Cullens were getting closer. I could see Edwards's hurt face, among them. I felt a stab of pain in my heart. "Where's Josh," I asked Gabriel, wanting to spare myself this confrontation.

"Detention," he whispered. I glared at him, my eyes turning flat black.

"Detention?" I growled. "Now I have to go and get him, take Arielle and Jamie home." He looked as if he wasn't going to obey, but I added, "NOW!" He nodded. "Arielle, Jamie hurry it up," he called, getting in the front seat of the car. Arielle came racing up to me, with a loathing expression.

"Comment vous pourrait, je vous déteste pour ceci vous savez!" She screamed at me in French, her first language. It roughly translated to How could you do this, I hate you.

"Oh plaire, entre la voiture, la reine de drame!" I shouted back at her waving my hand at her. She snarled, and I growled sounding very much like an animal as I did so. The whole time, the Cullens had been watching Arielle and I fight in French.

They all looked shocked at my ability to speak another language besides English and Spanish. I turned on them, hoping my face might give off a hint of just how angry I was. "Get away from my family!" I hissed. I turned back away from them, to look back at the car; Arielle was still waiting, leering at the Cullens.

"Get in the car Arielle or so help you god..." I didn't finish my sentence, because Jamie was tugging at my arm. He was nearly my height, extremely tall for eleven.

"Bella," he pleaded. "Let's go." I hugged him very tightly, then let him help me back to the car.

"I have to go swing Josh out of detention," I told him, hugging Jamie extra tight. "Tell Gideon for me, will you?"

"No, I'm coming with you."

"Jamie, no!"

"Yes, I'm coming with you!" I didn't have time to argue.

"Fine," I shouted. "Lets go!" I looked around the parking lot, it was empty now. Except for the Cullen's who were staring at me with hurt expressions. They still hadn't moved.

"Bella," Alice pleaded. "Please talk with---." "Let's go," I barked to Jamie, and we were off, disappearing to the naked eye. I had never ran so fast in my whole entire life. Jamie kept up easily; he was super fast, just like Edward. We reached the classroom that was holding detention today, I ordered Jamie to wait outside for me as I entered the room. Miss Black was sitting at the front desk, reading a very trashy magazine concealed by a book. I zoned out all the other peoples mind-numbing thoughts till I found Josh. He had realized I was in the room.

Are you here to get me out?

I nodded sharply, and walked up to Miss Black's desk. She looked startled that I was in the classroom.

That girl is too good looking, more than he deserves. She thought. In any other moment I would have taken offense but now was not the time. I was desperate to get Josh out of there. "Miss Black," I said in my most innocent voice.

"Our brother Gabriel has taken ill today, and Josh and I need to bring him to the hospital. Can you please excuse him for one day? He'll make it up tomorrow, I promise." I was surprised my lie actually sounded convincing.

"I-I suppose," the old, batty teacher stuttered. "Thank you, Miss Black." I beckoned to Josh from behind my back. We were out of the classroom before Miss Black had even come to terms with what had just happened. Once we were outside, I froze. Jamie wasn't where I had left him.

"Josh, run home and tell Gabriel your safe, Jamie and I will be there quickly. Please!" I added, he wanted to stay with me, but I refused to let him. "Go!" He was a blur as he headed out of the school.

My stomach quivered where was Jamie? I sprinted through the schools, in less than thirty seconds. He wasn't in any of them. I pushed myself to the limits of my speed and searched the parking lot, when I heard him.

I only picked up Jamie's thoughts, I could see exactly where he was, and he was trying to block out me reading his mind, without any luck. "Who are you?" James voice rang in my mind.

"We don't want anything to do with you kid," Emmett said taking a step away from Jamie. "Well you should have thought about that before you messed with my sister!" And then Jamie lunged, ready to fight.

"Jamie! No!" I screamed at the top of my lugs. I ran at top speed to the sliver of the track where Jamie was now fighting Emmett Cullen. I arrived on the scene my breath bated. They were circling eachother; each had a few scratches on their bodies. "Jamie, No!" I screamed again. Emmett and Jamie stopped fighting to stare blankly at me. All my surroundings were a blur but I felt Edward, his soft gaze, watching me. I took there momentary pause, to force myself in between them, grabbing Jamie's hand and wrenching him away from the Cullens. "Jamie, if you want to fight someone, fight me or Gabriel, or Josh, but not them." He twisted out of my grip and dashed away. I didn't immediately follow after him; I turned and snarled at Edward and Emmett. "Stay away from my family," I hissed, before sprinting away from the track. It took me five minutes to reach home, and when I did I marched straight up to my room. Josh tried to come up and talk to me, but Gabriel stopped him. I listened to Gabriel's, who was always the most observant, mind carefully.

Who was that family, they were vampires I know. Their eyes, I could tell. The skin, but who? Didn't Bella say something about once knowing a clan of vampires, before us?

I would have to watch Gabriel closely these next few days. To make sure he didn't figure anything out.

I never moved an inch the next day at school. I went to all my morning classes and skipped lunch. I only had two afternoon classes and I was planning to go to each of them. I entered the English classroom, ready with my ink pen and my thick notebook. I froze in the doorway.

All of the tables, (there were no desks), were empty except for one. In the back of the classroom, the only empty seat was next to none other than Edward. It was the first day at Forks High school all over again. Our eyes met as I walked slowly down the English room's aisle. He felt just as empty as I was. His eyes were pained and hurt, with a mixture of bleakness. I felt sick, how much would I love to just lay in his arms listening to my favorite sound. His breathing and no pulse. My bottom lip started to shake, as I sat down.

I couldn't breathe, which wasn't necessarily a problem, but it felt terribly odd to be this close to him, like I had imagined so many times. Luckily the teacher, Mr. Krenshaw, had started to give out todays in class work. The assignment was to write one word that had affected out lives, and read it to the whole entire class. No explanations just one word. I immediately knew what my word was. I wrote it quickly down on my piece of paper, knowing full well Edward was looking at it. I saw the confusion, the realization hi his face.

A new emotion settled over his face, he was ashamed. He quickly wrote something down on his paper. "Now," the teachers nasally voice said, breaking everyone's concentration. "We'll go through the list, then you will each turn to you table-mate and explain why this word has affected you. I internally groaned my anger with Mr. Krenshaw flaring up like a burning flame. The list was a randomly organized list, read from the English teacher's computer. I wasn't paying any attention to it until my name was called. I had been thinking about Edward.

"Miss Swan," Mr. Krenshaw asked in a slightly irritated tone. "Your word please." "Er---," I hesitated before speaking.

"Always." He smiled at me.

"Very original Miss Swan, how about you Mr. Cullen." My eyes shot to Edwards beautiful face. "Love," he said very quietly. Mr. Krenshaw continued down his list, I was zoning out. Edward had been looking at me when he had his word, and I had felt the familiar spine tingling feeling shiver through me. I knew that I still loved him, but I couldn't trust him.

Not anymore. With the list finished, we had to turn to our partners and explain why we had chosen this word. Edward and I stared at eachother for a few moments, before I spoke.

"I chose this word, because it's a word with no real meaning. It is used in imaginary cases, like when someone says they'll love you for always." I made my voice dull and boring, so he would think that this word had no affect on me.

"I disagree," he whispered, his melodic tone making me want to run away from him. "I think that Always is a term used when people will really always love someone. Never wanting to forget them, that the person who had said that word, or written it, would always love her and no onelse."

"Your word," I said briskly changing the subject.

"Love," he mused the word. "I chose love, because I love you, Bella." I trembled at his words. There was nothing more that I wool rather do, than hug him so hard he couldn't breathe.

"Interesting," I choked out.

"Bella, can we talk...please?" I looked up at him, he did that very unfair smoldering thing with his eyes and I nearly fainted. Then, my anger gripped me so tightly, the words betrayal, abandonment, and hate filled my brain, and I knew what my answer would be.

"No."

"Bella, I left because I almost killed you. I wouldn't have been able to live with myself if I really would have killed you. Please forgive me Bella, I never meant to hurt you." "You never meant to hurt me!" This outraged me.

"You never meant to hurt me, I don't believe that. If you never wanted to hurt me, then you wouldn't have left!"

"I never wanted to hurt you." He buried his face in his hands, his voice muffled. "I love you so much Bella." Hs voice was strangled as he spoke. I wanted to start bawling right there in the middle of the classroom.

"Don't call me Bella, I'm Isabella to you," I snapped, jumping up from my seat."I loved you so much Edward," I whispered, my voice shaking "I missed you so much that I cried pretty much a lake of my damned tears. I wanted to drown myself in them, but now. Now I want to drown you in them."

It was the ultimate sign of hatred, I had just cursed Edward straight to hell, and I felt sick for it. I walked up to Mr. Krenshaws desk, and asked to head to the nurse, he obliged. I walked out of the classroom with one last pained look at Edward. He was watching me leave, his eyes pleading me not to go. I wanted so badly to just go and apologize. I left the room and sprinted to the closed wing of the school. I slid down the wall, my body racked with dry sobs. I loved him. I loved him so much.

Words in French: "I hate you, I hope you know that."

"Oh, please, get in the car drama queen."

I hope you liked it, I know there is a lot of spelling mistakes but I type to fast for my own good. The next chapter will be up as soon as I can finish writing it, which is…now.


	4. Tattered Hearts

My house was deadly quiet, when I arrived home. The rest of my family was still at school and Gideon at work, I had the house to myself. I shut off my car engine, feeling slightly guilty I had just left my family with no ride home, and stepped out. I was instantly drenched with rain. I screamed in anger, and kicked the camry's tire. It burst, letting the air seep out. Rolling my eyes, I stomped towards the house, singing underneath my breath.

"Another day is going by I'm thinking about you all the time, but your out there and I'M here waiting, I wrote this letter in my head, because so many were left unsaid." Even if I was a vampire I still could not sing, I was severely off pitch every time I tried. "But now your gone and I still can't think straight."

I was so warped into my own thoughts that I didn't even notice that someone was sitting on the porch swing. I stopped dead in my tracks, squinting through the heavy rain. I knew who it was but I decided to ask just in case I was by off chances, that I might have been wrong.

"Alice?"

Alice glided, gracefully off the porch swing, and waited for me on the first step of my home. Her face was impassive, but I knew something was bothering her. I just now heard her thoughts.

Good she's back. Edward seemed...broken after English. What did she say to him, why did she say it? Jasper read her emotions; she still loved him with all her heart. Why is she fighting this?

"I already know what you're going to ask Alice," I interrupted just as she opened her mouth to speak. "I told Edward that he could go straight to hell." And more. "Would you like to come in, Alice?" She didn't answer just followed me inside, where I seated myself on my favorite white comfy chair. This was my chair, no one else in the house was allowed to sit on it. Though Gabriel had tried on several occasions.

Alice sat herself on the couch opposite of me, staring into my deep golden eyes. I decided to head her next question off to, so this would be a short-lived conversation. "What Jasper felt must not have been Me."

"How do you know what I was going to ask," she said dumb-founded. But then, her eyes widened in shock. "You can read minds...like Edward?" I rolled my eyes at this. "Sadly, I had been hoping for a much more...active gift, but this one does do wonders." She grinned at me, the straightened out her expression.

"I don't doubt Jasper's gift," she stated plainly. "He felt what you were feeling, you love Edward." I stared deeply into her golden eyes, and sighed inwardly. I could barely stand to make Alice sad, but lie to her? I couldn't do that.

"Well you shouldn't, because...he's right." In an instant she was hugging me in a bone crushing hold.

"I knew you loved Edward, I knew it, but he didn't think so."

"Alice," I gasped for breathe, though I didn't really need it. She eased her hug and sped back to the couch. "I don't have any intentions of speaking to Edward ever again."

"Don't be silly you're just as miserable as he is."

"I'm not that miserable," I lied weekly. She raised one eyebrow, and I caved.

"So miserable."

"Then forgive him!"

"No."

"Why?"

"I can't trust him. What if I do forgive him, then what? There will always be a doubt inside my head. If he's going hunting will he come back? If he's leaving even for a day, is he coming back."

"Bella, Edward never wanted to leave you in the first place, he only wanted to keep you safe, even if it meant giving you up to a human life. But obviously it didn't turn out like that, and now he wants to spend eternity with you."

"Alice if he wanted to spend eternity with me, why didn't he change me?" She didn't answer at first, thinking over her answer. I began to smile triumphantly, but then she spoke.

"Every year he gets more and more...depressed, the first few years he wouldn't speak to anyone. He didn't utter a word, even when Carlisle threatened to throw him out if he didn't talk. It as an empty threat of course," she added at my look of shock. "He finally began to speak words, and just sentences three or four years ago. He's never moved on, he spends his time playing your lullaby over and over again. Hell, even I know how to play it by now!"

I smiled, though my heart was punctured. Maybe Edward knows how I felt when he left. I spoke, but I was dead on the inside. In the distance, I heard Gabriel laughing at Arielle; they would be home quickly. I glanced up at Alice.

"I think you should go now," I whispered silently. "I want you to stay, I so, but my family is on the edge of killing yours. " She nodded knowingly, standing up and walking herself to the door. She stopped, her hand resting on the handle.

"Bella?" She said in a soft voice. I nodded to show I was listening. "Promise me you'll try to forgive Edward." Before I knew what I was doing, I nodded. She pulled open the door, but I stopped her.

"Alice?"

"Yes."

"Tell everyone hi for me, will you. Not Edward and I want you to know I still love your family. I was never angry with them."

"I will, Bella."

In a flash, she was gone.

Only minutes my family entered the house, soaking from head to toe. Gabriel was teasing Arielle about something I couldn't quite pick up. I didn't ant to, too absorb in my own thoughts. Only when Josh was speaking to me, did I start.

"Bella, did you hear me?" He was asking in a concerned voice.

"Huh?"

"I was just saying that Gabriel got into a fight with that Jasper guy from school. One of those Cullen vampires."

"He did what!" I didn't wait for his answer. "Gabriel!" Gabriel was next to me in a second.

"Just to keep you from getting into my brain, I will tell you that I started It."

"Gabriel get in the car," I ordered, quickly. I had the full effects of shame pulled out for Gabriel. "Bella?"

"Get in the car!"

He followed me out the door, and into my Camry. I slid into the driver's seat, not really knowing where I was going, just yet. When he sat next to me, I glared at him, and started to drive away from the house.

"Tell me what happened," I barked. I sensed his hesitation and began to pull it from his brain, but he stopped me.

"I have class with Jasper Cullen, the vampire, and he was giving me crap about you, and how you should live with them, instead of us. Bella you got to know you're my family and I was already pissed because Josh was practically mauled by Edward, Jasper's brother.

"He did what!" I shouted, really upset with Edward now.

"He just came up and attacked Josh. And Jamie was going to kill that Emmett guy. So at lunch I'd had enough. Don't worry, the lunchroom was only filled with us and Josh barred the doors. But I was so angry and I punched Jasper right in the face. Of course he retaliated. Yes, I admit it was my fault but it was a short-lived fight. Fifteen minutes tops. Were pretty evenly matched." As he had been telling me this, I was concentrating on the road. This city couldn't have been that big. I was zoning in on Alice's thoughts. I could hear the faintness of her thoughts coming from a dirt path road about a mile away. I sped up turning onto the path.

"Bella where are we going," Gabriel asked din a small voice. He hated it when I was angry with him.

"You'll see when you get there, now tell me about Josh attacking Edward." I was so pissed with Edward right now, but secretly I was a bit worried for him. Was he all right?"

"Well it wasn't really much of an attack, more of an almost fight. I pulled him away before it got above ten minutes."

"Gabriel Andrew Gray!"

"I'm sorry, but I had my own fight to win. But Josh pulled me out o that one quickly, and the big one...Emmett grabbed Jasper, and went to pull Edward off Josh."

I took deep even breaths controlling my anger, and turned on the dirt path. I could hear Alice clearly now.

Oh my Jasper, is he all right. Who did this? Gabriel! Bella's brother? I am going to--.

I stopped honing in on her thoughts; I didn't want to know what Alice was saying against Gabriel. No matter how angry I was with Gabriel I still loved him. I drove silently, fuming, until we reached a large classic, white home. I knew it was the Cullens once I saw it.

It was Victorian style, with a front porch, that had flowers of all kinds from hanging baskets. It had three very large floors with big windows. It didn't look much different from ours. The porch swing was the only missing aspiration forms our home. On the inside I heard jumbled thoughts, as we approached.

Who is coming, the COPS! Did I really cause that much damage to that idiot vampire that he's pressing charges! Those sets of thoughts were from Jasper. The rest I tuned out. Gabriel, clairvoyant, saw things that were happening in other places, in the present, stiffened. I shut off the engine, running around the car to push him out of his seat.

"Bella?" He whispered, terrified.

"You are going to apologize to Jasper," I answered flatly, walking up the front steps and knocking steadily on the door. Esme answered, Alice right behind her, their golden eyes shining with happiness. Then they saw Gabriel and their expressions darkened. I ignored them.

"Can we come in, I promise this will be short." Esme pulled open the door admitting us in. Esme went to stand next Carlisle, who looked slightly shocked at the sight of me. I dragged Gabriel in by his ear, like a little child, he followed sulking.

"Bella--," he gasped. I help up my hand.

"Not now, I apologize for intruding but is Jasper here?" In a swift moment, Jasper, Rosalie, Emmett, and to my horror Edward rushed down the stairs. Their eyes brightened, even Rosalie's when they saw me, and then their faces fell when they saw Gabriel. Edward looked depressed his golden eyes dead. I tried futilely to read his mind, but it was a blank space, stretching before. Me

I frowned, and turned to look at Jasper, who was glaring at Gabriel with a murderous expression.

"Gabriel here," I said tugging tightly on his ear. "Would like to apologize to you Jasper." Gabriel opened his mouth to protest, but I snarled at him, barring my front teeth menacingly. "Apologize," I hissed.

He gulped. His eyes searching the floor.

"I-I apologize, Jasper," he started, his voice quieter than ever. I could tell he was embarrassed. "For starting the fight with you, and it will never happen again or Bella will probably kill me." I shook my head in disgust. I loved Gabriel, he was the best brother, but he sucked at apologizing.

"Nice apology," I muttered in a very low voice, dripping of sarcasm. I was positive that the Cullens all had heard me. I glanced up at them; they were all staring at me in shock, love, and in anger. Except Jasper, who was still staring angrily at Gabriel? Rosalie was glaring at me. What now! I didn't even want to find out what she was thinking; I tuned out all the voices in the room, except Gabriel's.

He was screaming at me in my brain, Edward who was looking at me with unmistakable pain in his eyes glanced to him and then to me, now puzzled.

I am never speaking to you again can't believe you made me apologize. I would never make you apologize to the blonde whose giving you that evil glare over there. No, I wouldn't. How could you do this! I am regretting the fight believe me! I am never telling you about another fight again! Will you make me apologize for everything else I 'ver done too! Well I better get started; I once accidentally killed a gold fish in the second grade! I used to--!

He was being sarcastic but it was enough to drive me up the wall.

"Gabriel, enough!" I snapped aloud. I massaged my temples. "You're going to give me a head ache with all that ranting." He abruptly stopped, blocking his thoughts from me. I turned back to the Cullens, my head throbbing from Gabriel's yelling. They were all staring peculiarly at me.

"Thank you for letting Gabriel apologize, once again, I'm so sorry Jasper for this." I let go of Gabriel's ear, and pushed him to the door. He walked towards the door, then stopped, freezing in the spot. He stumbled and nearly fell over, leaning against the doorframe for support.

"Gabriel?" I shouted in a worried voice, rushing to his side. He was shaking slightly, his eyes squeezed shut.

"What's happening," Carlisle's voice rang though out the room. "Gabe's clairvoyant, he sees things that are happening to certain people in the present," I answered automatically, trying to stop Gabriel from shaking. Suddenly his eyes snapped open his eyes wide in fear.

"Gabe?" I whispered my voice shaking; he never looked this scared before. "What did you see?"

"Gideon," his voice rasped. "Gideon, he's so mad, Bella. He's angry for some reason. Were needed home. Now!"

"Let's go," I whispered. I helped him stand straightly. "You can drive, I hate going fast." He ran to the car door, me not far behind him.

My body gave a great jerk; something had me by the arm. I whirled around, to see Edward, his butterscotch eyes glazing with every emotion I had been feeling in the last twenty-five years. We stared at eachother for a moment, before he kissed me. I had never felt anything like this before. His kiss was like heaven to me. I was being lifted from the earth and into my personal world. Just him and me. Never, before that moment, in the last twenty-five years had I ever felt to so complete. I felt whole again.

He pulled away slightly, giving me room to breathe; I closed the gap quickly, kissing him back. Not worrying that his family was right there, watching with loving eyes. I wanted nothing more than him, then my memories of the pain, and Gabriel waiting in the car hit me like a tidal wave.

I wrenched myself apart from him, "No!" I couldn't do this to Josh or to my new family. I couldn't do this to myself. I didn't want to be hurt again, not like this. Before I could watch Edwards's expression fall, I ran to the car and jumped in. Gabriel took off without saying a word.

"Don't tell Josh," I whispered, touching my lips where Edward had just kissed me. They felt warm, just like I felt at that moment.

"Never," he whispered back. For some odd reason, I knew the Cullens could hear us as we sped away from their house. 

Gabriel pulled the camry into our driveway, and burst out of the car. I followed in hot pursuit. It had barely taken five minutes to get home from the Cullens. Immediately when we both entered the house, I knew something was wrong. Gideon's brain was in a frantic mess.

New vampires! We can't have that! They'll kill off the populace of people here. They need to leave---Bella? Does she know them? Jamie said something about her knowing them. Jamie---Arielle---Josh---Gabriel---Bella, my family we have to stop this!

"Gideon," I called. He rushed down the stairs, his face mixed with many types of confusion." They drink animals, and we both know that there is plenty for both of us here. The look of confusion doubled on his features. "They were the clan of vampires I knew from Forks, when I was a human," I explained. His eyebrows shot up, I had only told Gideon, my father figure, about the Cullen clan.

"They are good then?"

"Very."

"We still need to talk to them, to make sure we don't kill off to many animals in this area, to make anyone become suspicious." I nodded in agreement.

"Carlisle Cullen, would probably be happy to speak with you."

"Good, Bella could you speak with this Carlisle and request that I speak with him. Since you know them." My heart dropped.

"Sure." I didn't know what made me say this, but I had agreed. The look of relief that passed over Gideon made me feel better about my decision. "Tomorrow evening?"

"Yes that should suffice. Thank you Bella, I know how much this must hurt you."

He had no idea.

I marched up to my room, picking up my cell phone. I gave Gabriel thumbs up; to show Gideon was better, than slammed my door. I dialed Edward's cell number, if he hadn't changed it in twenty-five years. I had to do this immediately, if I was going to do this at all. Surprisingly he answered. I melted at the sound of his voice, wanting to rush back to his home and kiss him till he stopped me. But my coldness prevailed.

"Get Carlisle," I demanded my voice cold.

"Bella?" He sounded breathless, relieved that I was speaking to him. "Bella, we need to talk. I love you so much."

I said the only thing that I could to get Carlisle. I was already making surpressed, dry sobs that I was sure he could hear.

"Shut up and put Carlisle on, this is a matter of urgency." The phone went silent, then Edward whispered in a pained voice, he sounded if he might have been crying if he cold have made tears.

"I love you Bella, so much, I thought that maybe you still loved me. I know now. Please hold on, I will get Carlisle."

I dropped the phone on my bed, and began to cry with no tears. I never wanted him to think that I didn't love him. I did, but I was so angry. Distantly I heard Carlisle say my name in the phone, and I forced myself to pick it up.

"Bella?"

"Yes," I said in a choked voice. "I'm sorry to keep intruding but Gideon, my guardian wants to meet with you and discuss the feeding habits on the animals here. If were both going to live here. I told him that I would contact you and ask you myself, since I knew you."

"Of course, Bella, when would Gideon like to discuss our feedings."

"He said that tomorrow night would be a good time to meet, our house."

"Sure."

"Thank you, I appreciate this."

"Your very welcome Bella." He paused as if wanting to say more, but he didn't.

"Good-bye."

"Good-bye Bella." I hung up the phone and there it down on the bed. The sobs came faster and I barely noticed that I was curled up on my bed. Once again I felt the empty hole gaping in my heart. Where Edward should have been.

EPOV

Alice arrived home from meeting with Bella, a slight smile on her face. Alice had taken off to talk to Bella, when I told her about English. She was still angry with her brother Gabriel for hurting Jasper at lunch. But Bella hadn't been there and didn't know about it yet. I jumped up, my breath caught in my throat. "She doesn't trust you Edward, she think s you'll leave her again. Her heart is spilt in two," Alice scolded. She was angry with me, but she still was comforting me. "But there is no doubt that every moment she thinks about you, she's so in love with you."

I let a grin spread across my face. Alice frowned.

"Don't let that get to your head, she has no intention of speaking to you ever again. But I asked her to think about forgiving you and she promised me that she would."

"Thank you Alice." Even though, Bella had no intention of talking to me again, I knew she would.

I felt happier than I had in days that I actually began to whistle. Emmett, who had been carrying Rosalie into our new living room, dropped her, when he heard me. She was screaming t him from the floor, but for once he didn't even notice. He was staring at me in shock.

"You're whistling," he gasped.

"And so I am," I chuckled, leaping up, sprinting to the piano.

"Please don't tell me that you are playing Bella's Lullaby again," Groaned Emmett. I surprised everyone by playing the entertainer, it was an easy piece, very easy, but it was somewhat up tempo. Esme, rushed into the room with a wide smile on her face.

"Oh Edward," she gasped, running and hugging me. "Your not playing Bella's lullaby, this is magnificent, has she forgiven you?"

"No," I laughed, transforming the song into something I had heard on the radio earlier today. "But she will, Alice helped."

"Edward, she's still really angry, all I found out was that she still loves you more than anything."

"Still, she loves me. That's enough for now."

"Well I am so glad to see you happier again," Esme commented, hugging me tightly again, she then left to return to Carlisle.

I ignored the others ,by playing the piano until Alice, tapped me on the shoulder. I spun around, surprised.

"Did I sneak up on you," she asked amusement in ever syllable.

"No," I lied, but she knew better.

"I thought I should tell you, Bella is coming." I jumped up, and ran upstairs. I wanted to look good...for Bella. Never had I really ever cared much about my appearance, I had been stuck with it for over one hundred and five years. It hadn't changed, but now I fiddled with my collar, nervously. I heard the door open below, and Bella's soft voice, she was with someone, I knew it.

Emmett, Rosalie, and I raced down the stair, they were excited, hoping like I that she had forgiven me. I had only been trying to protect her, but it hadn't worked like that, she was turned, but by who?

I stopped, frozen, at by who was in the door. At first I almost fell over in complete laughter. Bella was holding, Gabriel, the boy who had fought Jasper, by his ear, dragging him into out house. He really didn't look happy, his mind was a mess of anger.

I am going to get her for this, just wait. Oh, yes do you hear me Bella? I hope you are listening to me instead of tuning me out. I will get you!  
I was confused, how did he plan for Bella to hear him. She was glaring at him, which gave me pleasure.

"Gabriel here," she tugged on his ear harder, "Would like to apoligize to Jasper." He opened his mouth to tell her that he would like nothing better than to hit him again, but she hissed a word I couldn't hear under her breathe.

"I-I- apopligize, Jasper for starting our fight." He sighed. "It will never happen again or Bella will probably kill me."

"Nice apology," she hissed sarcastically under her breathe. I was happy to find she was disgusted by his actions.

"Thank you so much for letting Gabriel apologize, I'm so sorry for this Jasper." They turned to leave, but Gabriel froze in the door way.

"Gabe?" Bella called, instantly by his side, holding him up. He looked exactly like Alice did when she was having her visions. Edward what's happening to him? Alice asked.  
I focused in on Gabriel's mind. A man with shaggy black hair, a vampire, was angrily pacing, his brain was scattered. He was a caring man, but now he was worried. So angry and confused.

I broke out of his thoughts to hear Bella answer something to Carlisle. I caught the word Clairvoyant, and understood.

"What did you see," Bella asked, him. I looked up, his eyes were open, horrified.

"Gideon," he rasped. "Gideon, he's so angry, we have to leave now!"

"You drive," she said helping him stand up without shaking. "Your faster." He gave her a look that I didn't understand. Her lips twitched in a daring kind of way. He turned and ran to the car, she started after him.

I moved forward so fast, that my family didn't even see me, till I had kissed Bella firmly on the lips. I could feel her shock radiating through her. Then the unmistakable longing she felt. This was exactly what I had wanted to do since the first day I had seen her. I pulled away, unsure. She pushed forwards, kissing me back. The, she pushed me away. If my heart had been a live, it would have stopped.

"No!" She yelled, and ran out of the door. Never once, did she look back at me, as she jumped into the car. Though I heard her distinctly, speaking to Gabriel.

"Don't tell Josh,' she whispered, her voice shaking.

"Never," he replied, speeding off and into the distance.

I wanted to fall into run after her, and force her to talk to me, but I knew it wouldn't get me anywhere. I felt a hand on my shoulder, it was Alice.

Don't worry, she still loves you.

"I know, but will she ever forgive me?"

She fell silent, walking back to stand by Jasper. All the while my heart was slowly ripping itself into little pieces.

Walking a at human pace, I headed up to my room, where I turned on one of the most depressing songs I had ever heard. It didn't even relate to Bella and mines relationship, that much. But it still chilled me to the bone.

And it made you laugh somehow, and it made you laugh somehow. And you my obsession I love you to the bone.

How long I laid there was a mystery to me. I was startled when my cell phone rang. I flipped it open, only to hear the one voice I desperatly wanted to hear.

"Get Carlisle," she ordered her voice harsh. I would do anyting she liked if she would just speak to me.

"Bella, I love you we need to talk."

" Shut up and Get Carlisle, this is a matter of urgency." There were sounds in the background, it sounded like crying. Was Bella crying, without her precious tears. I felt terrible, had I made her cry? My stomach dropped out from beneath me. Alice had been wrong, Bella didn't love me anymore, how could I have been to stupid.

"I love you Bella, so much, I thought that maybe you still loved me. I know now. Please hold on, I will get Carlisle."

I rushed out of my room, Carlisle was walking into his office, his head buried in ap ile of papers.

"Bella needs to talk to you," I held the phone out to him. He glanced up at me doing a double take. I knew how I must have looked. Dead, all emotions wiped cleanly from my body.

"Edward?" I pushed the phone towards him, shoving it into his chest. He picked it up, and held it to his ear. He paused before saying anything. "Edward, she's crying."

That was the last thing I wanted to hear, I had made her cry. I turned and strode away. I heard him say. "Bella?" Then I buried my head under my pillow, and shut my eyes. I would be like this forever. Never moving. I felt empty.

The consequences of my actions had just came full circle. Gabriel, who seemed to have forgotten his momentary fear, burst into my room.

"What were you thinking!" He demanded to know, growling in a low voice that barely I could hear.

"Nice to see you too Gabe," I snapped, a little taken aback by his award winning

"What were you thinking!" He demanded to know, growling in a low voice that barely I could hear.

"Nice to see you too Gabe," I snapped, a little taken aback by his award winning performance of an angry friend.

"What were you thinking?"

"In which scenario?" I knew exactly what he was talking about, but I didn't to discuss it. Especially with him. Yes, Gabriel was my best friend, but he was a boy! I longed for someone who would help me feel normal. I wanted to speak with Alice.

"The one where you were swapping lots of spit with Mr. Cullen!"

I grimaced

"Ew, Mr. Cullen is Carlisle, and he is married." He sighed exasperatedly.

"You know who I'm talking about, you know better than anyone. Seeing as you can READ MINDS!" Gabriel was starting to stress himself out. He always did this when he was starting to get over-whelmed with something on his brain, he began to rant. Just like he had been doing earlier but this time it wasn't inside my mind. Which I was thankful for.

. Just like he

had been doing earlier but this time it wasn't inside my mind. Which I was thankful for.

"Gabriel," I said making my voice soothing. I knew what he wanted to hear, but I

couldn't lie to him. "Gabe, you are my best friend, and I will never revoke that. I tell you

things, not Josh. I am going to trust you now. But you have to promiseto me that you won't

say a damned word to anyone. Got it?"

He nodded, eyeing me cautiously. I knew what he was thinking, and I knew he

was afraid of what I might tell him. I told him any ways.

"Gabriel, never in my wildest, most evil dreams,would I ever do anything to hurt

Gideon, Arielle, Jamie, or Josh. And of course your bunched in with that too. But a long time

ago, I met the Cullens."

His eyes were as wide as plates, as I told him my story.

"They lived in Forks with me when I was a human. That's when I fell utterly and

completely in love with Edward. Long story short, he broke my heart because he never

wanted to kill me. You see I was extremely potent to him, my blood was the single scent that

could make him abandon all former beliefs.When he left I was dead on the inside, that's when

I walked into the woods and Gideon attacked me.I knew that I was meant to be a vampire,

but he never changed me." I took a deep breathe, this was the real truth to not just Gabriel

but me. Gbariel was silent, his mouth hanging open slightly. "I loved him so much, that when I

met Josh, he was like a---filler---. I feel terrible for using him like this, but deep down I know

he knows. Gabe, can you please still be my best friend, my cynic, my annoyingly tantalizing

person who makes me fall to pieces with laughter.

Gabriel was staring at me, his golden eyes wide with shock. I refused to tap into

his head to find out whjat he was thinking but it was getting pretty unbearable, as he stared at

me like I had someting on my face.

Refusing to read his mind, though it was getting more tempting by the minute, I

snapped at him. "Gabriel Andrew Gray, I just told you everythingn I have been feeling the

last wenty -five years, and all you do is stare at me like I have something nasty plastered on

my mouth!"

To my shock, he let out an odd choke like laughter. "That explains a few things."

He said in a strangled voice, though it was full of amusement. His shock slowly turned into a

smirk. " I mean, you were a bit of a glum twit around the house. I thought it was you just

missing your human life."

"Gabriel, are you mad at me?"

"Yes," he answered, giving me a stern look, though the smrik was still evident.

"Of course I'm angry, I know how much you love Edward. I can tell, hell that kiss...well lets

just say it was very steamy. And if you go back to them, your breaking up our family---."

"But I'm not going back to him," I interrupted him. Gabriel gave me a very odd

glance.

How can you be so stupid! he thought. If you love him like that then how can you

not go back to him?

"I won't," I assured him. "I don't trust him."

"Love is trust, Bella," he said, throwing up his arms as if he was going to go crazy.

"No it isn't. I knew that I was just making things worse, he was right, but I didn't

want to admit it.

"You know that I'm right," he persiseted.I looed away, scowling. "Don't make me

quite Shakira at you," he threatened. I glared at him.

"You wouldn't dare," I hissed. Gabriel knew just how to push my buttons.

"Whenever wherever," he sang in a high off pitch voice. I covered my ears

throwing my pillow at him. "Were meant to be together, I'll be there and o'll be near, that's the

deal my dear. You've got me head over heels."

He had started fake belly-dancing, when I pushed him out, a smile still on my

face. It slipped off, when I turned around.

Alice was sitting on my bed, her black hair flying in the strong winds, coming from

my open window.

"Alice!" I gasped in shock. I had really wanted to speak with her, but how had

she known.

"I sensed that you needed to talk to me."

"You were right," I sighed, sinking down to the floor, my head buried in my

hands. "You were right," I repeated.

My head was throbbing with the faint buzzing of peoples voices. I wanted noting

but to drown it all out. Worse I wanted nothing but to sit and listen to Edward's soft voice tell

me it was going to be all right. And even help me, I had never quite surppressed all the

people's noise ringing in my mind.

A sharp pain hit my heart, it was a longing feeling. I felt empty again, but being

near Alice helped me to feel whole again.

"Alice," I said, my voice muffled, though I knew she could hear me. "I was

positive that if I ever ran ito to Edward again, I knew I probably wouldn't, but if I did I

wouldn't let myself get this emotional. I was supposed to be done with him. He left, so why

does he get to rule over every thought in my brain. I can't hunt without thinking about him. In

fact I don't even want anything. I know it's so dangerous, but I just need someone."

Alice slid onto the floor, sitting next to me. I didn't want to look up into her

disapointed golden eyes. I refused point blank to read her thoughts, I wanted this to be a real

conversation, nto one that I knew what was going to happen.

"Bella, I know Edward has hurt you, but you've hurt him far worse." I looked up in utter disbelief, was I hearing her correctly! "

"Alice, he left me!"

"I know that Bella, but did you ever think gow empty he has felt without you. And thats plus all the verbal hurt you've shelled out over these last few days."

I was going to reply but then stopped myself. Had I ever really considered how Edward had felt about leaving me? The answer was no, no I hadn't. I was too busy being mad at him to really know what he was feeling. I suddenly felt very stupid and completely horrified.

Alice continued. "I know you love him Bella, but you've got to let all that hate go, and do it quick, before you say aomething that really could end both of you forever."

"Alice I can't let go of my anger towards him that fast."

"I know, but love is worth it."

"I know that, I was willing to throw away my life for Edward. I still am. I love him so much Alice, but I'm so mad."

"You have ever right to be, but just remember that your not alone in this situation. Every decision you make will affect someone in a way ou can never imagine."

"Thank you Alice."

"I won't say your welcome until you are officially my sister." I grinned, thinking over the sound of her words. Mrs. Isabella Cullen. I loved it

She stood up, "I have to go, but before I do." She held out an equisite black velvet box. It was long and rectangular shaped. It caught me off guard. "I picked this up on my over, I decided to spoil you some more."

"Alice I am still the same. I hate it when you buy me things." She grinned impishly.

"Open it."

I did. It was the most beautiful white gold bracelet I had ever seen. In the center held a medium sized topaz gemstone. My heart belted, and I let out what I was sure was a sob. My dead heart felt like it was ready to burst, if it could have. I lost all my control for that moment, staring at the exact color of Edward's eyes. The stabs of emptiness ate away at my heart. Tearing it to pieces.

"Oh, Alice it's beautiful."

"I thought you might like it. Good-night Bella." She was at the window sill, ready to climb out when I finally spoke, never taking my eyes off the bracelet.

"Alice?" My voice was shaky and I was trembling so violently that if I hadn't been sitting down I wold have fallen over. "Alice, tell him that I love him will you. I don't know if I'm just making things worse, but please tell him." I knew she nodded, before dispearing.

I sat by the door for what felt like years. The time passing by like glaciers. I only moved to stare at the bracelet some more, when Gabriel had come in asking why I had was being so quiet. I didn't answer him and he left me alone.

I wore a colbalt blue long sleeved shirt with a pair of jeans.The shirt covered the white gold bracelet with the topaz in the center. I couldn't reveal it to anyone in my house, without being questioned. I was finishing my homework quickly, when Josh entered into my room. I hadn't been expecting him. I had been so los tin my own toughts I hadn't even heard his asking to come into my room.

"Morning Sunshine," he whispered, he wrapped his arms around me kissing me in the back of the neck.

"Morning," I said in a distant voice. He didn't seen to notice.

"How was your night?" He sat down on my bed, as I struggled over my last problem.

"Good." I didn't wan tto talk with him. I was so guilty about not loving him the same way he loved me that I wanted to scream. I wanted to tell him how in love with Edward I was, but I was afraid to break his heart.

"Were going hunting today insstead of school, you coming?" I shook my head.

"I'm not hungry," I lied. I felt the sharb pains in my body. I was so hungry. School would be unbearable today.

"We haven't fed in a whole week." He sounded surprised by my answer.

"I fed on Monday." Another Lie, where was I coming up with this stuff.

"Oh. I'll see you in a couple days then." I straightened up so he could kiss me. I didn't give him a kiss back, but merely pecked him on the cheek, before heading out my door.

"See you on Sunday." I grudgingly held his hand till we reached downstairs, where I shrugged im off pretending I left something in my room. I raced upstairs, only to be caught by Gabriel once I was an inch from my door.

"Gabirel," I gasped in astonishment. "I thought you were hunting with the others?" I did want Gabriel to stay, maybe he would restrain me from biting a random kid at school today.

"Fed Yesterday. What aer you doing here? I thought you'd be going with them ,you haven't fed since last wednesday."

I didn't lie to Gabriel as much as I had to Josh. "I'm n ot hungry."

"Don't be silly. Bella you can't go to school you'll kill someone."

"I can and I will!"

"Bella--!"

"You ready to go Gabe, I'm driving today." I was acting falsy cheerful just to keep him from bugging me about feeding.

"Bella you need to hunt!"

"I don't now lets go or we'll be late." I pushed past him, running down the stairs in a blur. In a second I was starting teh car, he was following behind me. I pulled down the mirror in the camry. My eyes weer pitch black. This day was going to be hell.

Gabriel persisted, in the thirty second drive to school, that I needed to feed. I kept saying I wasn't hungry. He then blamed me for really denying my thirst.

I jumped out of the car, Gabriel already cracking from stress. We were early. Only a few humans and the Cullens, who were walking towards the school at the same time we were, were in the parking lot.

Great this is just what I need, I thought. The exact people I didn't wan tto see were walking in front of Gabe and I.

"Bella stop denying it," Gabe hissed in my ear."Your going to snap, I can feel it."

" I won't!" I assured him. He didn't let up.

"Bella you have to feed!" He nearly yelled. It was the wrong moment for himto have said this. We were just pasing the Cullens on the long, stretch of pavement leading up to the school. They all stopped in their tracks, tehir heads snapping to look at me.

I was going to strangle Gabriel!

Gabriel had no idea what he had just done, until he came up behind me. Alice, Jasper, Rosalie, Emmett, and Edward were all watching me with worried expressions on their face. Alice especially. Gabe stood behind me, his embarassment rising.

"Oh," he whispered.

"Oh, doesn't even begin to cover it," I snapped, holding my hand up to his mouth. I stalked off, leaving Gabriel alone to fend by himself. I walked into the school, listening to Gabriel. He was talking to the Cullens in a clear voice. The NERVE!

"Gabriel when had Bella last fed," Alice asked concern etched in every word.

"I went with her last week, Wednesday to be precise. The rest of our family went this morning, but I fed yesterday and she refused to go." He asnwered annoying me with his concern.

I clenched my fist behind the school door,and listened on.

"That's dangerous," I heard Emmett whisper. "She could snap and attack someone."

"I thought Miss Bella had more sense than this," Rosalie huffed. "Great we just got here and we'll have to move because of her...again."

A low growling sound came from what I knwe was Edward. His cruel growl towards Rosalie warmed my cold dead heart.

"What is she thinking," Edward snarled. "Does she know the consequences the guilt." His voice was harsh and bleak. I felt just as dead on the inside as he probably did.

"I'm not quite sure" Gabriel muttered, rubbing his forehead in confusion. "Usually she's the one reminding us all to go hunting. She's never slipped once, she refuses to even consider it."

"I should go and teach her a lesson or two," Rosalie snarled. "Maybe throw her into a wall."

"I wouldn't," Gabriel warned her. "You've never seen Bella angry. She's purely unstoppable, has too much pent up rage." Another snarl ripped through the air, it was Edward.

"I'll talk to her," Gabriel said steppnig backwards. "I'll make her see reason soon enough." I heard him walking towards the school door, I sprinted across the hall before he could reach the door knob. I was had disappeared into homeroom A few measly humans were standing chatting animatedly before the teachers desk. How easy it would be to just snap their necks and take a soothing---.

"No," I hissed to myself in a low voice that I was sure no one cold hear me. "I will not." I felt my self-control waning. Had this been what Edward was feeling on the first day I had met him..

I attempted to pay attention during my three morning classes, but I couldn't. Every time the teacher would ask a question and a student would shoot their hands up. I was almost overcome with thirst. The blood lust nearly over took me during Calculus. I actually stood up reay to snap all the necks of the children in this class room.

"Miss Swan?" The teacher had asked in small frightened voice. I heard her soft terrified voice and felt sickened with myself.

"I'm sorry I'm just not feeling very well," I had lied. "Can I go to the nurse." She reluctantl;y let me go, hoping I would feel better by the end of the day. I hadn't gone too the nurse but I found myself in the closed off wing. I was humming to myself, my lullaby, realizing what I was doing. Gabriel was right, I was denying it.

Lunch was chaos. I sat across from Gabriel picking at a small piece of pizza served in the lunch line. All of the kids were moving, the scent of their hot blood wafering off of them.

"Bella," Gabriel pleaded. " I think we should leave now," he insisted, watching my black gaze. I was currently watching a girl with bright green eyes and blonde hair. She was physically in shape, and very healthy, ap erfect target. I could ptractically smell the food digesting in her system.

"No," I snarled.

"Bella you this close to killing someone." He held up his thumb and forefinger and made them a half inch apart.

"I'm not."

"You are Bella!" His voice was gradually getting hysteric. "Bella, I kow you couldn't live with yourself if you killed anyone. Please, lets go right now," he was begging me now.

"No!" I snapped. "I said no, stop annoying me or I'll throw you threw a wall." He just glared at me in response, and continued bugging me inside my head.

The lunch room was clearing, and teh smell of human blood was getting smaller. Though I still could smell the blonde girl I had been watching earlier, walking to my Biology.

There was only a few people left, including the Cullens and a few stragglers. All lunch period I had felt the Cullens shooting troubled glances in my direction. Edward had not looked at me once, keeping his eyes firmly in the opposite direction.

All the time Gabriel was sending me snide little messages, telling me the horrible things that would happen if I didn't feed soon.

"Enough!" I screamed, so loud that everyone even the four straggling humans heads snapped up. They weer all watching me, terrified. I wanted to...I needed to walk over to them and drink their foul smelling blood. I was desperate by now.

I locked one of the boys who were staring at me from the opposite side of the cafeteria. He was the best smelling out of the four. It wasn't his fault he had the best blood out of the four who were sitting with him. He was transfixed by my beauty. I stood up, ready to sprint at him, attack... I barred my teeth, ready to suck him dry.

Something hard hit my body, barreling me over. My head slammed to the ground as I struggled against the iron arms that encaged me. It picked me up, racing me out of the lunch room, and out of the school's barriers.

I had expected whoever it was to be rough but they were gently in how they carried me. I instantly knew who it was.

If I had a pulse it would have been racing. I looked up into those deep topaz eyes, my heart melting. My breathing stopped.

"What were you thinking," he growled in a low voice. I stared at Edward, my mouth open slightly in shock. I didn't answer him, not sure of what to say. I longed to reachout and stroke the side of his face with my hand, but I resisted the temptation.

He growled, running me into the parking lot where his silver volvo as waiting. It wasn't the saem car we had ridden in when I was a human. It was new one but it looked exactly the same, with a few modifications. He threw open the passengers side door and stuffed me inside. In seconds he was pulling out of the parking lot, speeding off.

Neither of us made to speak to one another. He drove so fast that the images were like I was lost inside a video game, blurring past my vision. I had absolutely no idea where he was taking me. He pulled off onto a dirth path, driving faster until I swore the speedometer was going to crack.

And then it was over, he stopped the car, and flew around to my side, opening it for me. I opened my mouth to ask whee the hell I was, but he swooped me up, dragging me out of the car. We were in a rock range of land. I quickl caught the smell of soemthing...a bear nearby.

I was off, sprinting as fast as I had ever gone. I smelt the sweet scent of the bear drifting over the air. I spotted it, and attacked it. My senses were now in control of my body. I couldn't control my actions. I quickly snapped its neck, and sunk my teeth into its neck. The sweet salty blood lolled over my tongue. I instantly felt my thirst being pushed farther backwards.

Once I had drained the first bear, I went to find two deers and a fox, before I was satiated. I wiped my mouth onmy sllev, knowing it was covered in blood. I did my bes to lick it off before returning to the car.

Edward was waiting for me, sitting on the ground next to the car, he had fed himself on a fox while I had been hunting down half the forest. I shiverd when I saw him. His beautiful face was blank, expressionless. I felt embarassed.

Now that that I was in my right mind, I realized just how stupid I had behaved. I felt sick with guilt at how close I had come to taking those poor kids lives. I looked deep into his glorious topaz eyes. I felt my knees turn to jelly beneath me.

"Thank you," I said in a flat voice. "I'm so sorry you had to see my like this. I've never been this out of control before." He didn't answer.

Desperatly, I wanted to know what he was thinking. I strained my brain so I could hear just a whisper from his beautiful face. Nothing. I attempted again and again. Failing miserably. We must have sat there for near an hour, before I groaned, sinking down to the ground. I had failed each time to listen to his thoughts.

" It's so hard," I moaned, though I knew he knew exactly how I felt. "I can't hear you!" I glanced up at him, surpirsed by what I found. His expression was bemused.

"You read minds," he asked in a bleak voice.

I nodded.

"And I can't hear a thing coming from you! Please just tell me what your thinking!" He began to grin.

"Not easy is it?"

I scowled up at him, but it was quickly replaced by a pained expression. How much I wanted to be near him. It felt as if someone was a driving a stake though my dead heart, twisting it in my wounds.

I was standing in a flash. He seemed startled by my motion but didn't speak again. I moved closer towards him, every step I was taking was just to be near him. Every movement I made I could smell his wonderful scent. It drew me in, his golden eyes dazzling me. In one more step I would be right in front of him.

"Edward," I whispered, my body trembling with the effort no to break down in his arms. He didn't say anything, but I knew he was listening to me. I was now an inch from him. I reached out to touch his perfect face, her took my hand and kissed it.

Shivers ran up my spine but not from his touch. I sat down next to him, my hand resting on his chest. I leaned in, inhaling his scent, then he closed the small gap between us.

It felt better than the first time, his kiss sent shivers up my spine. He jerked away ending it too soon.

"I'm sorry Bella, I promised I would leave you alone."

"I'm the one who should apoligize." I choked my voive breaking. I was going to start sobbing. "You didn't do anything to me." I turned to look him staight in the eye. "I never wanted to drown you in my tears, I never want you to go to hell, and I never want you to leave me...ever...again." I began to sob, there were no tears in my eyes but I knew if there could have been, his shirt would have been soaked. "I'm s-so sorry, Edward."

He wrapped his arms around my waist, hugging me to him tightly. I buried my face in his muscular chest. His long pale fingers were stroking my hair softly.

"Do one thing for me," he whispered, holding my head away from his, my face cupped in his hands.

"Anything."

"Don't leave me alone again." I choked in idignation.

"Don't leave you--!"

I didn't get to finish my sentence, for in that kissed me so tenderly I stopped breathing. All of our combined emotions were poured into that single kiss. I pushed him backwards so I was lying on top of him in the grass.

"I love you Edward Cullen," I whispered in between kisses. " I never stopped."

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 


	5. Hungers

I had one major decision to make, and I knew it would rip me apart to do it. Never was I good at making decisions I constantly agonized over what I would do about the certain problem I was faced, but once I had decided I followed through.

Now I had a feeling it might just be a little different this time. I had two options and one big question.

Now that I had forgiven Edward I had to choose. The Cullens or the Grays. It tore my already stressed heart into tiny pieces. I would die without Edward, but I would be just as unpleasant without The Grays. Yes, Gideon loved me like a daughter but he knew I could make my own decisions. Josh, well there was simply no hope there. After I broke his heart he would hate me. Somehow I could survive that. But Jamie and Arielle, who I would miss with all of my soul would never forgive me. And Gabriel my best friends besides Alice, would probably hunt me down.

It was a problem a big problem, but the question I had to answer myself first was, who would I miss more. The answer was easy, Edward I would never live without Edward now that I had found him again. It would be pure torture to be without him. That still didn't settle my question. I simply could not leave Gabriel, Jamie, and Arielle behind.

I didn't return to my house. Instead Edward drove me directly to the Cullens home. I was baffled when he pulled up to his beautiful home, and all of the Cullens were waiting on the porch.

"Edward!" I gasped, my stomach twisting into nervous knots. "Your whole entire family hates me. What are we doing here?"

"Silly Bella," he chuckled. "They don't hate you." I shot him a less than subtle glance, that reminded him of exactly what I had said when we had first seen each other for the first time in twent-five years.

"They don't hate," he reassured me. I rolled my eyes. For that he just smiled my favorite crooked smile, and rushed out the car door.

Even at Vampire speed I couldn't open it before him. I scowled as he helped me out of the car. Some how I still managed to trip over the cars wheel and send myself flying to the ground. He caught me right before I hit the ground, snickering the whole time.

"I thought you would have been rid of the clumsiness thing since you were a vampire," he chuckled.

"So did I," I muttered in a dark voice. This only made him laugh harder.

"Bella!" A speeding bullet of short black hair flew at me with alarming speed. Even to my eyes I could barely see Alice hurtling towards me, finally giving me the tightest hug that I had ever received. Vampire or human.

"Alice," I squeaked, my words unable to properly come out.

"I knew it, no one believed me, but I knew it. Emmett owes me two hundred dollars! That I'm going to spend on buying you the proper wardrobe."

"Alice," I gasped, she was still squeezing me by the waist. If I had been human I would have passed out by now.

"I suggest you allow her to breathe, Alice, or I shall have to kill you for taking her away from me now that I've just gotten her back." Edward said, pulling Alice's marble arms from around my waist.

"I knew it," Alice whispered to him in reply.

"I'm never betting against you again," I heard him answer. I grinned turning away from the siblings. The Cullens were staring at me a range of different expressions on their faces. There was Emmett who was giving a scowl that looked as if someone had stolen his candy bar, I assumed because he had just lost a reasonable amount of money to Alice. Japer who had a small smile playing at his lips. He never bet against Alice. Carlisle was pleasantly surprised, Esme glowed with excitement. And then there was Rosalie. Her beautiful porcelain face was contorted with fury. Had she actually been smiling at me yesterday, when I had come to make Gabriel apologize.

Edward's arms wrapped themselves around my waist, resting his chin on top of mine. I was sure that if I had a heart, I would have gone into shock then and there.

"Would you like to see the house," he asked in a voice that made me think it had a doule meaning to it.

"Yes. If that's all right." I could feel him grinning widely above me.

"Of course."

He gripped me by the hand, and pulled me towards the Cullens. The anxiety I had previously felt returned. Edward glanced at my wide-eyes nervous expression. One eye brow shot up.

"I'm nervous," I muttered in an extremely low voice, that I was positive he barely heard. The corner of his lips twitched with amusement. It grew to a very pronounced smirk.

I growled at him, slightly revealing my teeth. "Isabella Swan," He said stopping me, right as we were about to mount the porch steps. His whole entire family watching us speaking. "Did...did you just growl at me?" His voice was on the edge of breaking out laughing.

"Sorry," I whispered, embarassment flooding my features.

"You just growled at me." Incredulity ruled every single word her spoke.

"I'm sorry." I really meant it to. Growling was one of my new found vampire reactions that I had used to annoy my family.

"I'm in shock that's all."

"Shock is better than anger."

"That's true."

If my heart could have beat it would have pulsated through my veins, sending heat to my face, causing my infamous blush. I stood paralyzed by his golden eyed gaze, he was dazzling me like he had so many times before. Unlike all of those times, I could do something about it.

I pulled the collar of his shirt lower, so he would be on the same height level, as I kissed him softly on the lips. He seemed a little surprised, but quickly responded.

"Ahem," Someone coughed on the porch. We both pulled away, startled, neither of us had remembered the Cullens standing on the porch behind us. Edward grinned, leaning his forehead to touch with mine.

"I'm sorry," I said quickly to the Cullens. Esme just grinned at us.

"No need to apologize dear, Come in." She waved us inside the house, Carlsle right by her side. Edward clasped one hand around mine, and followed. I felt the eyes of the rest of his family on us, but for once I didn't seem to care. I was too happy to be near Edward, and not feel that the earth was going to swallow me up whole.

When I had forced Gabriel to apologize to Jasper, I had completely disregarded the house. It was much the same as their previous residence in Forks, but it was less open, due to the lack of time for remodeling.

The entry way led was positively huge with light creamy paint, I had figured Esme had already gotten to work, with a giant staircase leading to the higher levels, on the opposite end. Off to the left side of the entry was a their living room. The doors had been pried off their hinges, revealing the large grand piano, that I knew was Edwards.

"Welcome to our house," Esme said in a very merry voice. She was happy that I was back to make their house glow with the absent music that had once flowed from the piano.

"I love it," I replied truthfully. Nothing could be more Cullen like.

"I'm glad," Alice chirped, coming up behind Edward and I. "Well Bella it's pretty much the same things," she was pushing Edward and I up the stairs, with a rather mischevious glint in her blackening eyes. "You should see Edward's room." I glanced back at the rest of their family, who was all, except Rosalie, laughing quietly behind us.

The instant Edward and I had reached the door that I assumed was his room, did she race downstairs to as Edward explained, laugh quietly at how cute we were with the rest of the Cullens. I turned away embarassedly when he said this, but his marble fingers caught my chin, tilting it upwards, until out lips were pressed together. We pulled apart softly, as he pushed open his bedroom door.

I let out a gasp of surprise when he opened it. My expressions instantly became an embarassed grin. I whirled on him, glowering, secretly pleased, at his arrogant expression.

His room was the same set up as it had been before, but the open windows were missing this time, and there was one very big change. Written on his bedroom floor, in red rose petals were the words 'I LOVE YOU'. I felt my lower lip begin to tremble as I stared on at his bedroom floor.

"Do you like it," he whispered, instinctively kissing the top of my head. "It was Alice's idea, incase you forgot how much I loved you."

"I love it," I murmured, laying my head against his hard chest. "I love you too." Careful not to ruin Alice's craftwork, Edward carried me on tip-toe over to the black couch. I sat on his lap, comforted by my favorite sound...his steady breathing...no heart beat.

"I want to know," he finally said after a few minutes of letting me listen to the most beautiful noise in the world.

"Want to know what?" I asked confusedly, looking up into his deep honey colored eyes.

"About Josh, have you two ever..." He trailed off suggestively. I stared at him, mortified that he'd just asked me this.

"No," I replied truthfully. "I never wanted to, I missed you too damn much." He seemed much happier by this.

"I have another question."

"Anything," I answered softly. I would have answered him anything about now. It felt like my empty insides had been fully mended in the little space of a weak.

"Your family...it's a little confusing." I had to laugh at this. "What?" I kissed him lightly on his cheek, before answering his question.

"Would you just like a rundown of everything that has happened to me over the last twenty-five years."

"I want every last detail, from how your hair looks in the morning to how you ended up learning French." I sighed, now this would be a long story.

"I promise you can know every last detail later, but I think footnotes are the best right now. They're quicker."

"We have time, are you planning on running out of here again." I knew he was joking but there was definitely an undercurrent to his question.

"No, I am not running out of here, but I do have to return to my house at some point because Carlisle is due to my home for a discussion with Gideon." Edward nodded, remembering our painful conversation the night before.

"Thats what that whole ting was about?" He sounded skeptical when he spoke. I nodded.

"What did you think?"

"Well...well," he was getting flustered now. It took every ounce of self-preservation I had to stop from giggling. Edward Cullen was nervous...embarassed by what he was about to say.

"Well," I pressed.

"I thought you were talking about...me." I let out a strangled giggle. Imediatly I stopped, for he shot me an icy glare. "Not how much you like me, quite the opposite, how much you detested my presence."

"No matter how angry I could ever possibly be with you Edward, I would never detest your presence. It takes all that I have not to turn into a puddle every time I see you." He smiled at this, making my insides turn to butter.

"Well I promise we will get you and Carlisle there on time, but for now I would like you to tell me everything that happened to you, I will push for details later." I nodded in agreement.

"Well, foot notes version, when I found out you had left I wanted to throw myself in the grand canyon." He frowned at my ideas of dealing with his leaving. "So I was pissed at you, really, really angry and I did the exact thing you didn't want me to do. I walked into the woods...and got lost." I had waited for his reaction, but he made his face expressionless as I continued my story. "Well I ended up tripping over a tree root and lying in the forest for hours, thinking of how my life was going to be without you, when Gideon, who was passing by, attacked me." Edward let out a low growl when I said this, a vicious expression on his perfect features.

I kissed him lightly on the cheek and continued my story. "Of course he was half dead with hunger, and only his inner conscience told him to stop drinking from my blood. Long story short I was changed. I woke to find my life in Forks was gone and I had nothing to go back for. Besides they'd already faked my death any way. I met Gideon and he told me all about his family, how they didn't hunt humans. I agreed, finding my ability to read humans minds, extremely perplexing.

" The rest of my family were already with him, Joshua is Gideon's biological son, they were changed when Joshua's mother died in the late 1700's. A vampire decided to take his anger out on them by cursing them to eternal hell, or as he so thought. Gabriel was changed next, he was found on the streets of New York in 1832 by Josh. Gabriel and his fast talking mouth had gotten himself into a lot of trouble. They found Jamie, who is eleven shortly after in 1841 in Boston, he was dying from a rare type of cancer. Then there was Arielle who they found while traveling in France in 1917, she is thirteen. Then there was me.

"We've moved a lot more than you do. Mostly because Gabriel has a hard time not sinking his teeth into people, he's getting much better since I've been forcing him to stick to his stict diet, but he used to slip a lot before I forced him to see things from a humans perspective. This is the ourth time I 've been in high school. I had to wait a few years before I was sure I was strong enough to be around humans. And to answer your question of how I learned French, Arielle taught Jamie and I so we wouldn't keep asking her to speak in English every time she went off in one of her crazy rants."

I took a deep breathe, that had been the clipped version of the last twenty-five years of my life. "I want to know what happened to you, now," I added before he could ask anymore questions about me. We would get to those later.

"We moved from Forks to London for awhile then to Seattle, then here. Carlisle let us take some time off from school in between each new city, we never stayed long in one place. Personally I think the others didn't want to spend that much time with their depressive brother. I was a bit of a damper on all things when it came down to it. Nothing happened besides that I was desparetly wishing I could smell your sweet strawberry shampooed hair."

I kissed him again, he was being so sweet that it was making my dazzled state become more and more unhealthy. By this rate, tomorow I would be unable to stay more than a few feet away from him without wanting to jump back in his arms, much less spend a whole entire day without him.

A soft knock echoed on Edward's door. Both of us were surprised that Carlisle was outside our door. Neither had heard his thoughts coming.

"Come in," Edward chuckled lightly, he was just as shocked as I was losing ourselves in the little glass bubble that felt so right.

Carlisle entered smiling slightly as he did so. "Bella, I think we should be heading over to your home now. I am quite interested in speaking with Gideon. I would like our families to meet, would they mind much if we all came to introduce ourselves and discuss the issue that we have presented."

I knew it would be fine with Gideon. "It will be fine, but I suggest you seat Jamie and Emmett and Jasper and Gabriel on the opposite sides of the room. For cautionary reasons. And now that I think about it Rosalie would do better to keep far from Arielle." I heard Edward snicker ny my side.

Carlisle agreed, I wasn't surprised that he knew about the disputes between out to families. Edward and I followed him out of the bedroom and down the stairs back into the entry where everyone was waiting.

"I should go inside first to keep Gabriel from attacking Jasper and Jamie from doing the same to Emmett," I said reviewing my plan with the whole entire family before I went through with it. "Arielle might be a little more to handle but if I can get Gabe to help it will be a lot easier." The Cullens all nodded in unison, though Jasper's lip curled slightly when I mentioned Gabriel's name.

"You lead," Carlisle said eagerly. I knew he was excited to meet with Gideon and see how much our lives differed from theirs.

I took Edward's hand in mine, squeezing it tightly and took off running.

Ok I am so sorry to end it there know this chapter was a little slow with lots of fluff, but I promise it will pick up again in the next chapter. I wont be updating for a couple of days prbably till Thursday night or maybe Tuesday if I can swing it. The reason being I will be at my mothers house and I cannot update their because I have the wrong word program. But the good news is that there will be about three of four chapters because I will be gone, so then you'll have much more information. I promise there will be some drama coming up and I am sorry if this seemed a little short, the next few will be longer.

-Bright Green Eyes


	6. Long Awaited History

I had one major decision to make, and I knew it would rip me apart to do it. Never was I good at making decisions I constantly agonized over what I would do about the certain problem I was faced, but once I had decided I followed through.

Now I had a feeling it might just be a little different this time. I had two options and one big question.

Now that I had forgiven Edward I had to choose. The Cullens or the Grays. It tore my already stressed heart into tiny pieces. I would die without Edward, but I would be just as unpleasant without The Grays. Yes, Gideon loved me like a daughter but he knew I could make my own decisions. Josh, well there was simply no hope there. After I broke his heart he would hate me. Somehow I could survive that. But Jamie and Arielle, who I would miss with all of my soul would never forgive me. And Gabriel my best friends besides Alice, would probably hunt me down.

It was a problem a big problem, but the question I had to answer myself first was, who would I miss more. The answer was easy, Edward I would never live without Edward now that I had found him again. It would be pure torture to be without him. That still didn't settle my question. I simply could not leave Gabriel, Jamie, and Arielle behind.

I didn't return to my house. Instead Edward drove me directly to the Cullens home. I was baffled when he pulled up to his beautiful home, and all of the Cullens were waiting on the porch.

"Edward!" I gasped, my stomach twisting into nervous knots. "Your whole entire family hates me. What are we doing here?"

"Silly Bella," he chuckled. "They don't hate you." I shot him a less than subtle glance, that reminded him of exactly what I had said when we had first seen each other for the first time in twent-five years.

"They don't hate," he reassured me. I rolled my eyes. For that he just smiled my favorite crooked smile, and rushed out the car door.

Even at Vampire speed I couldn't open it before him. I scowled as he helped me out of the car. Some how I still managed to trip over the cars wheel and send myself flying to the ground. He caught me right before I hit the ground, snickering the whole time.

"I thought you would have been rid of the clumsiness thing since you were a vampire," he chuckled.

"So did I," I muttered in a dark voice. This only made him laugh harder.

"Bella!" A speeding bullet of short black hair flew at me with alarming speed. Even to my eyes I could barely see Alice hurtling towards me, finally giving me the tightest hug that I had ever received. Vampire or human.

"Alice," I squeaked, my words unable to properly come out.

"I knew it, no one believed me, but I knew it. Emmett owes me two hundred dollars! That I'm going to spend on buying you the proper wardrobe."

"Alice," I gasped, she was still squeezing me by the waist. If I had been human I would have passed out by now.

"I suggest you allow her to breathe, Alice, or I shall have to kill you for taking her away from me now that I've just gotten her back." Edward said, pulling Alice's marble arms from around my waist.

"I knew it," Alice whispered to him in reply.

"I'm never betting against you again," I heard him answer. I grinned turning away from the siblings. The Cullens were staring at me a range of different expressions on their faces. There was Emmett who was giving a scowl that looked as if someone had stolen his candy bar, I assumed because he had just lost a reasonable amount of money to Alice. Japer who had a small smile playing at his lips. He never bet against Alice. Carlisle was pleasantly surprised, Esme glowed with excitement. And then there was Rosalie. Her beautiful porcelain face was contorted with fury. Had she actually been smiling at me yesterday, when I had come to make Gabriel apologize.

Edward's arms wrapped themselves around my waist, resting his chin on top of mine. I was sure that if I had a heart, I would have gone into shock then and there.

"Would you like to see the house," he asked in a voice that made me think it had a doule meaning to it.

"Yes. If that's all right." I could feel him grinning widely above me.

"Of course."

He gripped me by the hand, and pulled me towards the Cullens. The anxiety I had previously felt returned. Edward glanced at my wide-eyes nervous expression. One eye brow shot up.

"I'm nervous," I muttered in an extremely low voice, that I was positive he barely heard. The corner of his lips twitched with amusement. It grew to a very pronounced smirk.

I growled at him, slightly revealing my teeth. "Isabella Swan," He said stopping me, right as we were about to mount the porch steps. His whole entire family watching us speaking. "Did...did you just growl at me?" His voice was on the edge of breaking out laughing.

"Sorry," I whispered, embarassment flooding my features.

"You just growled at me." Incredulity ruled every single word her spoke.

"I'm sorry." I really meant it to. Growling was one of my new found vampire reactions that I had used to annoy my family.

"I'm in shock that's all."

"Shock is better than anger."

"That's true."

If my heart could have beat it would have pulsated through my veins, sending heat to my face, causing my infamous blush. I stood paralyzed by his golden eyed gaze, he was dazzling me like he had so many times before. Unlike all of those times, I could do something about it.

I pulled the collar of his shirt lower, so he would be on the same height level, as I kissed him softly on the lips. He seemed a little surprised, but quickly responded.

"Ahem," Someone coughed on the porch. We both pulled away, startled, neither of us had remembered the Cullens standing on the porch behind us. Edward grinned, leaning his forehead to touch with mine.

"I'm sorry," I said quickly to the Cullens. Esme just grinned at us.

"No need to apologize dear, Come in." She waved us inside the house, Carlsle right by her side. Edward clasped one hand around mine, and followed. I felt the eyes of the rest of his family on us, but for once I didn't seem to care. I was too happy to be near Edward, and not feel that the earth was going to swallow me up whole.

When I had forced Gabriel to apologize to Jasper, I had completely disregarded the house. It was much the same as their previous residence in Forks, but it was less open, due to the lack of time for remodeling.

The entry way led was positively huge with light creamy paint, I had figured Esme had already gotten to work, with a giant staircase leading to the higher levels, on the opposite end. Off to the left side of the entry was a their living room. The doors had been pried off their hinges, revealing the large grand piano, that I knew was Edwards.

"Welcome to our house," Esme said in a very merry voice. She was happy that I was back to make their house glow with the absent music that had once flowed from the piano.

"I love it," I replied truthfully. Nothing could be more Cullen like.

"I'm glad," Alice chirped, coming up behind Edward and I. "Well Bella it's pretty much the same things," she was pushing Edward and I up the stairs, with a rather mischevious glint in her blackening eyes. "You should see Edward's room." I glanced back at the rest of their family, who was all, except Rosalie, laughing quietly behind us.

The instant Edward and I had reached the door that I assumed was his room, did she race downstairs to as Edward explained, laugh quietly at how cute we were with the rest of the Cullens. I turned away embarassedly when he said this, but his marble fingers caught my chin, tilting it upwards, until out lips were pressed together. We pulled apart softly, as he pushed open his bedroom door.

I let out a gasp of surprise when he opened it. My expressions instantly became an embarassed grin. I whirled on him, glowering, secretly pleased, at his arrogant expression.

His room was the same set up as it had been before, but the open windows were missing this time, and there was one very big change. Written on his bedroom floor, in red rose petals were the words 'I LOVE YOU'. I felt my lower lip begin to tremble as I stared on at his bedroom floor.

"Do you like it," he whispered, instinctively kissing the top of my head. "It was Alice's idea, incase you forgot how much I loved you."

"I love it," I murmured, laying my head against his hard chest. "I love you too." Careful not to ruin Alice's craftwork, Edward carried me on tip-toe over to the black couch. I sat on his lap, comforted by my favorite sound...his steady breathing...no heart beat.

"I want to know," he finally said after a few minutes of letting me listen to the most beautiful noise in the world.

"Want to know what?" I asked confusedly, looking up into his deep honey colored eyes.

"About Josh, have you two ever..." He trailed off suggestively. I stared at him, mortified that he'd just asked me this.

"No," I replied truthfully. "I never wanted to, I missed you too damn much." He seemed much happier by this.

"I have another question."

"Anything," I answered softly. I would have answered him anything about now. It felt like my empty insides had been fully mended in the little space of a weak.

"Your family...it's a little confusing." I had to laugh at this. "What?" I kissed him lightly on his cheek, before answering his question.

"Would you just like a rundown of everything that has happened to me over the last twenty-five years."

"I want every last detail, from how your hair looks in the morning to how you ended up learning French." I sighed, now this would be a long story.

"I promise you can know every last detail later, but I think footnotes are the best right now. They're quicker."

"We have time, are you planning on running out of here again." I knew he was joking but there was definitely an undercurrent to his question.

"No, I am not running out of here, but I do have to return to my house at some point because Carlisle is due to my home for a discussion with Gideon." Edward nodded, remembering our painful conversation the night before.

"Thats what that whole ting was about?" He sounded skeptical when he spoke. I nodded.

"What did you think?"

"Well...well," he was getting flustered now. It took every ounce of self-preservation I had to stop from giggling. Edward Cullen was nervous...embarassed by what he was about to say.

"Well," I pressed.

"I thought you were talking about...me." I let out a strangled giggle. Imediatly I stopped, for he shot me an icy glare. "Not how much you like me, quite the opposite, how much you detested my presence."

"No matter how angry I could ever possibly be with you Edward, I would never detest your presence. It takes all that I have not to turn into a puddle every time I see you." He smiled at this, making my insides turn to butter.

"Well I promise we will get you and Carlisle there on time, but for now I would like you to tell me everything that happened to you, I will push for details later." I nodded in agreement.

"Well, foot notes version, when I found out you had left I wanted to throw myself in the grand canyon." He frowned at my ideas of dealing with his leaving. "So I was pissed at you, really, really angry and I did the exact thing you didn't want me to do. I walked into the woods...and got lost." I had waited for his reaction, but he made his face expressionless as I continued my story. "Well I ended up tripping over a tree root and lying in the forest for hours, thinking of how my life was going to be without you, when Gideon, who was passing by, attacked me." Edward let out a low growl when I said this, a vicious expression on his perfect features.

I kissed him lightly on the cheek and continued my story. "Of course he was half dead with hunger, and only his inner conscience told him to stop drinking from my blood. Long story short I was changed. I woke to find my life in Forks was gone and I had nothing to go back for. Besides they'd already faked my death any way. I met Gideon and he told me all about his family, how they didn't hunt humans. I agreed, finding my ability to read humans minds, extremely perplexing.

" The rest of my family were already with him, Joshua is Gideon's biological son, they were changed when Joshua's mother died in the late 1700's. A vampire decided to take his anger out on them by cursing them to eternal hell, or as he so thought. Gabriel was changed next, he was found on the streets of New York in 1832 by Josh. Gabriel and his fast talking mouth had gotten himself into a lot of trouble. They found Jamie, who is eleven shortly after in 1841 in Boston, he was dying from a rare type of cancer. Then there was Arielle who they found while traveling in France in 1917, she is thirteen. Then there was me.

"We've moved a lot more than you do. Mostly because Gabriel has a hard time not sinking his teeth into people, he's getting much better since I've been forcing him to stick to his stict diet, but he used to slip a lot before I forced him to see things from a humans perspective. This is the ourth time I 've been in high school. I had to wait a few years before I was sure I was strong enough to be around humans. And to answer your question of how I learned French, Arielle taught Jamie and I so we wouldn't keep asking her to speak in English every time she went off in one of her crazy rants."

I took a deep breathe, that had been the clipped version of the last twenty-five years of my life. "I want to know what happened to you, now," I added before he could ask anymore questions about me. We would get to those later.

"We moved from Forks to London for awhile then to Seattle, then here. Carlisle let us take some time off from school in between each new city, we never stayed long in one place. Personally I think the others didn't want to spend that much time with their depressive brother. I was a bit of a damper on all things when it came down to it. Nothing happened besides that I was desparetly wishing I could smell your sweet strawberry shampooed hair."

I kissed him again, he was being so sweet that it was making my dazzled state become more and more unhealthy. By this rate, tomorow I would be unable to stay more than a few feet away from him without wanting to jump back in his arms, much less spend a whole entire day without him.

A soft knock echoed on Edward's door. Both of us were surprised that Carlisle was outside our door. Neither had heard his thoughts coming.

"Come in," Edward chuckled lightly, he was just as shocked as I was losing ourselves in the little glass bubble that felt so right.

Carlisle entered smiling slightly as he did so. "Bella, I think we should be heading over to your home now. I am quite interested in speaking with Gideon. I would like our families to meet, would they mind much if we all came to introduce ourselves and discuss the issue that we have presented."

I knew it would be fine with Gideon. "It will be fine, but I suggest you seat Jamie and Emmett and Jasper and Gabriel on the opposite sides of the room. For cautionary reasons. And now that I think about it Rosalie would do better to keep far from Arielle." I heard Edward snicker ny my side.

Carlisle agreed, I wasn't surprised that he knew about the disputes between out to families. Edward and I followed him out of the bedroom and down the stairs back into the entry where everyone was waiting.

"I should go inside first to keep Gabriel from attacking Jasper and Jamie from doing the same to Emmett," I said reviewing my plan with the whole entire family before I went through with it. "Arielle might be a little more to handle but if I can get Gabe to help it will be a lot easier." The Cullens all nodded in unison, though Jasper's lip curled slightly when I mentioned Gabriel's name.

"You lead," Carlisle said eagerly. I knew he was excited to meet with Gideon and see how much our lives differed from theirs.

I took Edward's hand in mine, squeezing it tightly and took off running.


	7. Talk

The pace Edward set was impossible, so much so that I had to tug his hand to let him know I wasn't that fast. He stopped abruptly in the middle of the forest, catching me off guard I sped right past him tripping over the hem of my jeans. He caught me as I was an inch from the smacking the ground.

"Bella, are you all right," he asked, concern etched in every word he spoke. I nodded, and (with his help) got to my feet. I bent over my hands on my knees, my breathe coming in sharp bursts. It was times like these I felt so human.

"Bella!" He was by my side in an instant, holding me away from the ground like it was contaminated.

The familiar noise of five silent vampires whipped through the air. In a second the Cullens were standing in the small clearing, that hid itself in the fores,t confused looks on their faces.

"Why did we stop," Emmett whined, a hint of disappointment in his voice."Jasper and I were racing."

"Bella stopped," Edward said, never once taking his eyes away from me.

"Only because you...run...too fast," I snapped with all the dignity I could muster. A smile crept its way onto Edward's inhumanly perfect face.

"Too fast, "He sounded skeptical. "You were keeping up just fine."

"Barely. And stop that smiling, it's making my breathing even more drastic." He chuckled lightly, setting me back down on the ground.

"You don't need to breathe." I scowled.

"I know that, but keeping up with you takes all the breathe that I want."

"Then stop breathing."

"Your still too fast." He grinned as he bent down to kiss my neck lightly. I let all my defenses drop, so he could slide his lips along the side of my neck. I didn't shiver, but I wanted to.

"I'll go slower," he promised. "Better yet, I'll carry you."

I protested, but he ignored me, signaling to his family that he was ready to go.

There was rap music blaring from my house when we entered the space where my home was located, I identified it coming from the downstairs speakers. Gideon wasn't home yet. I turned to Carlisle and the rest of the Cullens. They were all eying the house with disbelief.

"Sorry," I whispered, suppressing my laughter. "Gideon will be home any minute. The music is just...they're angry." Carlisle nodded, following me as I walked up the stone steps and onto the front porch. "I'm sorry for this," I warned them. "It's the only way to get their attention."

"Do what you must," Carlisle said in a very puzzled tone. I gave him a reassuring smile.

I begun to bang loudly on the door, then rang the door bell. The music got louder. they did not just do that! "Arielle Colette Gray, turn off the damned music or I will smash those speakers!" The song changed to a punk song...Gabriel's choice.

"They're fighting for who gets to listen to what. Gabriel has just changed CD's, I assume Arielle is smacking him by now," I explained to the dumb-founded Cullens. None of them had seen me yell at anyone to this extent before. The music changed from the hard core punk to a gothic sound with an angels voice. Jamie

"James Matthias," I gritted my teeth, ready to kick down the door. And then the song changed back to a pop/hip-hop song. It was Arielle again but Gabriel was the one who was in charge.

"Gabriel Aaron Gray you are supposed to be in charge! I am going to kick down the door and blame it on you." He didn't respond. I pushed up my sleeved, in annoyance. "Fine Gabriel I will begin with a little blackmail...what shall I announce to the whole world first. Hmm." If that didn't get a rouse out of him than I didn't know what would. "I have one. When we were at our last school you made e reach into Jesse Andrew mind and find out his darkest fear. I did. And do you remember what it was. Well in case you have obtained some form of amnesia and you can't remember, it was vampires! So one day in gym you screamed 'Vampire' at the top of your lungs, and he went into a corner and cried. Did I tell Gideon...no."

Gabriel didn't respond, thought I could hear him mentally cringing at the dirt I had on him.

"Fine, when you were asked to house-sit for the Kemp's you killed their gold-fish by poking it with a pencil, because you claimed it was giving you an evil glare---." At this the music snapped off and the door swung open. Gabriel stood in front of me, a fake smile plastered over his face to hide the embarrassment gathering behind his face.

"That gold fish had it coming," he snapped, breaking his cheerful composure. "It was giving me dirty looks."

"Sure, Gabe," I said, sarcasm dripping from my words. I patted them gently on the shoulder.

"Don't tell Gideon about the Jesse Andrew thing, he told me that that kids had enough emotional scarring for one lifetime."

"Never."

"And the gold-fish?"

"How many things do you have on me?" He tilted his head sideways, thinking deeply.

"One," he answered blandly. "No...no...three. I have three pieces of black mail on you. Which I will carefully remind you of as of...now." Gabriel took no notice to the Cullens, and to my horror he began telling me the three pieces of bribery he had against me. "One, there was the chandelier incident, where Arielle and you fought over something unimportant, and you rolled over the balcony and broke the poor ladies chandelier. Gideon never knew about that.

"Two. When you snapped Gideon's priceless painting in two and then proceeded to buy the fake and hang it up, after trying to glue the original. BACK TOGETHER!" I buried my face in my hands, humiliation washing over me.

"You helped with that!" I accused him. "With the breaking and the buying!" He ignored me.

"Then there's the whole Edward/Cullen thing, which I would never use against you, because you love him and them more than the world combined with any unnatural force, and you kill me if I did say anything. Besides I wouldn't want you to get all mopy around me. I like the fun Bella. She's not as dead."

"It is good you think that, because tonight is the night Gideon is having a chat with Carlisle Cullen." Gabriel's face paled at my words.

"Truth be told Bella, I don't really want to apologize to...Jasper again. And you didn't make Jamie apologize."

"You sound like a sulking baby, and Jamie is my baby brother...therefore he wins." Gabriel frowned.

"That doesn't make any sense, I'm also your baby brother."

"Your a hundred years older than I am."

Gabriel didn't answer with his usual quip, I glanced up at him, his golden eyes were wide with shock...and embarrassment.

"Oh yeah," I said attempting to keep myself from roaring with laughter. I patted gently on the arm. "Did I tell you they were already here." I turned to the Cullens, giving them what I hoped to be a welcoming mile. "Please come in, I'm sorry for my families rudeness." I elbowed Gabriel in the stomach. They all nodded in shock. I grabbed Edward's hand and dragged him inside, the rest followed, passing Gabriel who was still too stunned to speak.

In an instant the music blasted again, the lyrics screaming through the speakers.

Crowded streets and the memories of all the faces you see you don't know who i am when you're looking at me hang me tonight in the false and jaded light in the center of the square, m u r d e r e r's breeding in the air we're all i n n o c e n t. the shadow's playing with our eyes...

I snapped off the power cord for the CD Player. Arielle or Jamie had gotten into my CD collection. The Cullens were watching me with curious eyes. "Please sit,"I begged them, I wanted them too feel comfortable in my home.

Gabriel walked in, his eyes still wide in shock. "Gabe," I called, as he entered the living my room. "Which child got into my CD's?" He stared at me blankly. I rolled my eyes. "I don' think that with Arielle's preference for rap, an Jamie's preference for his own Gothic lullabies, and Josh...who well has no preference, that someone had to have ransacked my CD's. And I know you didn't do it, because you openly detest my music."

"Jamie," he answered simply, sitting down on the opposite couch from the Cullens. I rolled my eyes.

"Gideon should be here soon," I said in a apologetic voice to the Cullens. I turned back to my brother. "Gabriel, can you get the two monsters who like to steal my things." He jumped up and sped out of the room in a the blink of an eye.

"Your house...,"Alice began to say in a very shocked voice.

"It is a very confusing place to live, but there is never a dull moment. With my lack of balance, Gabriel's cynical views, Arielle's temper, and Jamie's mathematics brain, it works out pretty evenly."

"I like it."

"Thanks." I moved across the room, and settled myself on Edward's lap. I knew that I would have to move when Josh entered the room.

"Bella!" A kind, clear voice yelled. "Are the Cullens here yet?"

"Yes." I said in a natural voice, knowing Gideon would hear me. "Were in hear, Gideon."

"Good...good." I turned to the Cullens, giving them a wide smile.

"Gideon lives on history, he is a bit scatter brained at times, but he's brilliant." Gideon entered the living room a wide grin plastered on his face. He immediately shook Carlisle's hand, then Esme's, making away around the family.

I stood up in a flash, and walked over to the far side of the room. I had felt the ruffle of something moving but I hadn't placed it, with my euphoria of Edward being in my house. I felt all eyes on me. I reached out one hand to pull the curtains away from the window, then something fell, almost knocking me backwards.

"Found you," I said, the delight evident in my tone. Jamie had jumped down on front of me, from where he had lodged himself in between the window and curtain. "Not a bad place to hide," I complimented. "But I will always find you."

"One of these days," he assured me, brushing a lock of black hair out of his face. I wheeled Jamie around so he could meet the Cullens. Gideon was laughing at the sight of both of us.

"I'm sorry," he boomed in a loud voice. "Jamie can sip into any space, forcing the others to try and find him. It's a statistics of stealth study."

"Found the monster, did you?" Gabriel said in obvious disgust, dragging Arielle in by the collar.

"Only one." I replied, frowning at the sight of Arielle's struggling form.

"If I were a human," Arielle snapped, her French accent making her sound as if she were a snob. "Zou would have killed me!"

"Don't play the human card," Gabriel spat back at her, dragging her over to the couch where he had been sitting previous. Jamie followed suit. Only Gideon and I were left standing.

"Where's Josh," Jamie asked in a bored voice.

"Here," A voice came from the other room. Josh entered drying his thick dark hair by shaking his head furiously. He smiled when he saw me, then sat down next to Jamie.

I winced when I looked at him, feeling slightly guilty, but more than happy to finally be with my one and only, Edward. I instinctively made introductions.

"Gabriel, Arielle, Jamie, and Joshua, this is the Cullens, and the Hales. Jasper and Rosalie Hale, and Carlisle, Esme, Emmett, Alice, and Edward Cullen." No one but Esme and Carlisle made moves to introduce themselves. The rest sat with murderous expressions on their faces, except for Alice, who was trying to sooth Jasper.

As soon as the introductions were finished, Gideon and Carlisle struck up a lively conversation, each were enjoying it greatly. Esme was involved too, but she mainly listened. I watched them for a few minutes, but then faced the rest of the room.

I instantly realized, with terror, I had now where to sit. I could either sit with the Cullens and give my family the subtle write off, or do the same to the Cullens, and Edward. I debated silently with myself for a few moments, only coming to the conclusion it was decision time.

I had two options. The first sit next to Edward and silently tell my family they were dead to me. I knew they would feel betrayed, and I couldn't have that. Then there was the other options. I could sit with my family, and watch the pain in Edward's eyes as I chose my new family. A stab of pain shot through the empty space that had been filled by Edward. I knew what my choice was.

I walked slowly, at a human pace towards the arm-chair Edward was sitting in, and sat next to it. I was only a few feet away from Gabriel who knew my thoughts on this. I was choosing both of them...Gabriel, Arielle, and Jamie that is. I didn't think Josh would appreciate me too much after this. I felt Edward sigh with relief as I reached up to hold his porcelain skinned hand.

A pang of guilt shot through me as Josh's eyes widened in disbelief. I looked him straight in the eye, wanting more than anything to tell him ow sorry I was, but he didn't seem to realize this.

Bella? Why are you holding his hand...that monster family of his attacked us, did you know that!

Edward growled at Josh's interpretation of the Cullens as monsters. I kissed his hand gently, hoping he would relax. He did, but threw a scowl my way.

Bella, came a different thought, I snapped my head towards Jamie who was watching me with a peculiar expression.

That's the guy that made you feel empty, right?

I nodded once, while watching a fly on the opposite wall.

And now he makes you feel whole again?

I nodded again.

He loves you...I can tell. I grinned, Jamie was smarter than I gave him credit for.

"I think we should discuss the previous events that have split our families into separate groups,"Gideon announced, suddenly, snapping me from my reverie.

"I quite agree," Carlisle said, glaring meaningfully at his family. I smiled at his thoughts to Edward. I wasn't sure Carlisle knew I could read minds yet.

Behave. Gideon tells me that Bella has had a relationship with his son Joshua. But apparently it wasn't too serious, poor boy. And Gideon knows about us.Did you know about this?

Edward nodded curtly, then turned to me. Of course he had known I had over heard Carlisle's thoughts. I beamed, barely able to suppress my laughter. He frowned, unable to find the odd humor I found in his Carlisle's train of thought. I couldn't really find it either, but I think I was suffering from nerves.

Gideon cleared his throat, ready to begin the arguments, or discussions as he liked to call them. "I knew about Gabriel's fight with Jasper, and I was heartened to find Bella made him apologize. However I did not know about Jamie attacking with Emmett. Jamie."

Jamie hung his heard, embarrassed, I knew by what he had done. "I'm sorry," he mumbled.

"It doesn't matter," Emmett laughed, trying to cheer Jamie up. "You put up a good fight." I grinned appreciatively at Emmett.

"And," Esme cut in. "Edward fought with Joshua. Edward." Edward was livid. I knew full well that he had no intention of apologizing to Josh, and I didn't blame him.

I shot Esme a worried look, her face was concerned but not frightened. "Edward?" She pushed, a very motherly ring to her voice. Edward snarled in his throat so quietly that I was sure that only Esme and I could hear it. "Edward Anthony Masen Cullen," Esme shrieked. "You apologize this instant."

I was shocked, never had I heard Esme yell at any of her adopted children. She was usually to well collected. Edward grunted his apology, if you could call it that, not wanting push Esme further. She seemed satisfied that he had at least attempted to speak.

"What is you hunting range," Carlisle asked Gideon, and they were back into a full steamed discussion of how we should alternate driving farther on weekends. Once again Esme joined in with the conversation, leaving the rest of us to sit and glare maliciously at one another.

I sighed in dejection. What was I going to do with them?

Bella,

Gabriel thought. I glanced up at him with a concerned expression on his face.

I hate to do this, but you...everyone needs to talk about this. Now my feelings on the matter are, that you will always be my sister but and I refuse to make you unhappy so I am kicking you out. I stared open mouthed at him. Shock was one of the hundred of emotions that was filling my body.

"You can't do that!" I burst out. Everyone turned to watch Gabe and I's argument. Only Edward knew what it really was about.

Bella, be sensible. You love him more and more every day. You can't leave him, he can't leave you. You both are the connecting pieces to each others hearts. The missing links. Jamie, and I think you should be happy.

"Not fair," I managed to get out before I had to stop myself from breathing. All I could manage was hot anger running through my body.

You are still our sister and we won't let you go, we'll see each other once every year or more. I promise, but you will be an empty shell without Edward.And I know that you couldn't decide for yourself you love both of our familiies too much. So I'm deciding for you.

I didn't protest, I knew he was right. Gabriel had always known me too well for my own good. I nodded, already missing my family.

"Gideon," Gabriel said. My stomach clenched, I knew what he was doing and all I could do was watch him, knowing that he was right. Gideon glanced up from his conversation with Carlisle, and stared at Gabriel. "Jamie and I are kicking Bella out of the house." Gideon's jaw dropped, his eyes wide in astonishment.

"I don't think-," he began but Gabriel stopped him in mid sentence.

"We've already given her six hours notice," he lied perfectly. "And she will spend the rest of eternity with Edward and his family. Of course she is expected to visit us twice a year."

"Bella! Do you agree with this." I knew Gideon wouldn't be angry with me, all he wanted was too see me happy. In a way he was like a father.

I nodded eagerly, squeezing Edward's hand as tight as I could. He barely noticed, for he was already hoisting me onto his lap. I snuggled myself closer to his body, feeling warmth rush through my face. I would have blushed just then if I could have.

"As long as you are happy, my dear." He raised his hand waving me off. "We will all miss you, but you had better make sure to call us once in awhile and visit us."

"Frequently," I agreed. Edward suddenly wrapped his arms around me in a very protective way. At first I hadn't noticed why, but then I glanced at Gabriel whose eyes were full of fear.

Bella get out of here!

He warned me, but I didn't listen. My eyes snapped towards Josh, whose eyes had turned the color of a midnight sky.

"How could you do that!"Josh yelled at Gideon. "She can't leave us!"

Gideon sighed, massaging his temples. "She can Josh and she is going to. I think that you should accept that. Of all people."

"Your my father," Josh roared, launching himself across the room towards Gideon. No one was fast enough to stop him. In a split second, Josh had thrown himself on top of his father and was ripping him apart. I watched the closest thing I had ever had to father besides Carlisle get torn to shreds by his own son. Had Josh gone crazy?

Gideon's screams penetrated my ears like gunshots, as Josh lit a match, he had grabbed from the coffee table and dropped it over his fathers body. Horror filled every ones faces as they watched. All too stunned to move. Then Arielle's cry burst through the stretching silence.

"Gideon!" In a movement to fast for me to see, she was knelling by the flames.

"Arielle," Gabriel called, racing after her. He pulled her back from the flames, and Josh who was continually ripping his fathers ashes to pieces. Arielle was sobbing into his arms. In spite of all the pandemonium surrounding me I realized Gabriel and Arielle were a very good couple. The thought was drowned out by her sobs. I whipped my head around to face a stunned Jamie, his eyes staring blankly at the scene before him. Gabriel was beyond tears.

I felt close enough to vomiting, turning my head I buried it in Edward's chest. Dry sobs wracking my body. In the background I heard Carlisle, Emmett, and Jasper trying to stop Josh. I sobbed harder. Edward's hold was comforting and I felt safe, he was whispering soft words in my ear, but I didn't hear most of them.

This was all my fault. I had never thought Josh, calm and serene Josh would ever react like this. He had killed his own father, and left his brothers and sister with absolutely no where to go. And all of this was because I loved Edward with every inch of my heart. I hadn't even realized that Edward had left the living room with me in his arms. He was running up the stairs before I realized what was happening. Desperately I wanted to ask where he was taking me. Arielle, Jamie, and Gabriel needed me. I opened my mouth to ask but all that came out was a sob.

Edward carried me into my room, not bothering to turn the light switch, and sat me down on my bed. He held my shaking body as he laid backwards, his back against my pillows. I nestled myself as close as possible towards him, praying that he wouldn't let go.

"I had to get you away from the commotion downstairs," he explained in a soft voice, tucking my brown hair behind my ear. I moved closer, his arms reaching out to wrap themselves around me in a protective cage.

We were silent for a few minutes, leaving my mind to wander down the horrible paths it could have possibly ever taken. Memories of Gideon and Josh flooded my brain. They had never even fought before this. And now Josh had actually killed his own father. My second father.

"It's all my fault," I whispered, my voice shaking with horror at what I had done. "It's all because of me. I never thought Josh would react this way, he's always been so calm, never lost his temper. Gabriel hasn't seen him ever become consumed with rage either, and he's been with him for years. I can't believe I...I ruined my family..."

"Shh, Bella," Edward hushed me. "None of this is our fault. It's mine." I wrenched myself away from his body to look him in those beautiful topaz eyes. Sorrow and torture filled those wondrous orbs of life.

"Edward this is not your--." He put two fingers to my lips, quieting me.

"I should have never left you, I should have changed you when we were both still in Forks. If I had listened to my family we could have avoided all of this pain and loss."

"I'm glad you didn't change me then." Hurt crossed his face, I kissed him lips softly before continuing. "Because if you had then I would have never met Gabriel, and Arielle, and Jamie, and Gideon."

He understood where I was coming from, and the hurt subsided. "I shouldn't have gotten involved with Josh at all," I continued. "I knew that I still loved you and I never would stop loving you and I still let Josh believe I was open to someonelse's love. If this is any ones fault it's mine." Edward stoked my head, letting it rest on his shoulder.

Minutes slipped by as I laid in my angels protective arms. Minutes turned into half hours then half hours turned into hours. It had been along time since either of us had seen anything down stairs. I knew that Carlisle had stopped the fire, because I had heard him asking Gabriel where the fire extinguisher was. Anything after that was unheard by either Edward or I. We were wrapped in our little world nothing could affect us there.

A soft knock on the door, brought my temporary calm crashing down around my feet. Alice entered followed by Jasper, who instantly gave me a dose of serenity, I smiled at him grateful for his work.

"Everything's cleaned up down stairs, there is a scorch mark but that's all," Sweet little Alice declared, sitting down on the edge of my bed.

"Josh?" Edward asked, tightening his grip on me.

"Contained," Jasper answered a hint of disgust woven in his voice. "Gabriel, Emmett, and Carlisle have him on the couch downstairs. So far he has just been staring at the opposite wall. I think he's in shock."

"Esme and Rosalie are taking car of Jamie and Arielle,"Alice said trying to ease my worries. "Or they're containing Arielle, Jamie is still sitting wide eyed where we left him."

"He'll be like that for awhile longer," I stated, remembering what Jamie had once told me about his human life. "He's been traumatized before, but he'll bounce back before the morning."

"Jasper and I will keep a watch on him, just in case."

"Thanks Alice."

"Carlisle wants both of you downstairs, he's in debate about what to do about Josh."

Edward growled deeply, making it clear what his opinion was. I agreed with him, but didn't really want to say anything just in case Alice or Jasper didn't think the same.

"We better go downstairs then," Edward whispered in my ear. "I promise, I won't let you move from my side." I nodded, and let him carry me out of my room. Jasper shutting the door gently behind us. I buried my face in Edward's chest, hoping...praying that this was all one big nightmare.

Of course it wasn't what would happen next was even worse.


	8. Plans

Seven. Plans

Josh had gone against all of my notions of how he would react. Every single thing I had known about him slipped out the window as I watched his face become an even worse shade of ashen.

"Josh," Gabriel whispered a terrified gleam in his eyes. "Josh?" Josh was non responsive. He sat there still as a statue, glaring at me with a malevolent black stare.

In an instant I heard Edward snarl. I shrank back behind his body, realizing what Josh was doing. He was blocking me out of his thoughts, but he hadn't contemplated Edward being a mind-reader.

"Edward?" I said in a choked voice, praying that he would hear me. He just growled menacingly in response. "Edward...no."

Before I could stop my one and only, he threw himself across the room, knocking Josh backwards, and through the living space's wall. For an odd reason, Edward wasn't attacking, he was being hurt. Josh punched him and threw my love to the floor, and Edward never fought back.

I screamed in terror, rushing over to Edward's side. Oh no...no...make this stop...please... "Alice!" I screamed. She was by my side in an instant. "Alice please." I sobbed, my whole entire body heaving with the emotional pain I was feeling.

"Bella...," she rasped. "Bella, I can't do anything...Josh he's not letting me." My sobbing stopped only to be replaced by sheer horror.

Once in my whole entire vampire existence had Josh never answered a question from me truthfully. It had been in my fourth year as a vampire, when I had drawn up all the courage in my body and asked if he had a gift. He evaded my question by kissing me for the first time, and all my previous questions had been erased. Now I knew that he had truly avoided my question. Josh had a gift and I knew all too clearly what it was.

"I will kill him Bella if you don't come with me," Josh said in a maniacal tone. I whimpered, watching Josh punch Edward's stomach. I couldn't do this without Edward...I needed him to survive.

"Stop!" I screamed, my voice sounded shrill even to my ears, and there was the trace of terror in the one word I had screamed.

Immediately Josh stopped hurting Edward. At first his face was stunned, but then in a slow creepy way he began to smile triumphantly. My body was shaking with so much despair that I thought it would cave in.

"You win!" I screamed my voice breaking. If I could have cried I would have already flooded the house.

Josh grinned.

"I thought you'd see it my way Bella," he whispered silkily. He stood up in a flash and had wrapped his arms around my waist. I shuddered involuntarily, and pulled away from the soft whispers he as making in my ear. I felt sick.

"I'll go with you...just let me say good-bye." He was reluctant to let go but in a timely manner he did. I watched Josh's retreating back before speaking, I knew he would hear my good-byes.

"Bella What-?" Alice began but I didn't respond, I was still shaking too much.

"Bella?" Edward whispered his voice shaking with astonishment and...fear. I turned to him, squeezing him as tightly as I had. I then proceeded to walk towards Alice who was sheltered in Jasper's protective grasp.

"I have to go with him, he can bend people's will so they can't fight back. Somehow it doesn't seem to work on me. I'm so sorry." I hugged Alice tightly, then Jasper.

I went around the room, whispering words of encouragement. I kissed Emmett and even Rosalie on the cheek. Gideon had been taken out back and his ashes had been buried. I nearly lost it when I kissed Carlisle and Esme good-bye.

The worst part was telling Gabriel, Arielle, and Jamie I had to leave, to keep them safe. I hugged the life out of Jamie and Arielle, who were both shamelessly sobbing into my shoulder, their dry tears.

Gabriel was staring at me in shock, as I approached him. "Bella," he began, but I silenced him with a look. I should have known he wouldn't have listened remotely to me. "Don't do this Bella, you've been too miserable for these last twenty-five years. Don't give up Edward now-."

"I'm not," I snapped, before he could finish his sentence. "Never." I gave Gabriel one of the fiercest hugs I could muster, whispering in his ear, just loud enough to that everyone in the room would hear me. "Les garder sûr. Quand le temps vient est prêt pour ce que vous devez faire. Ils vous aideront." It was the only thing I could think of saying in French.

Arielle gasped beside me, and I could see her mouth form into a wide grin. "Be good Arielle," I said in a sneaky tone. I could feel all the eyes of the Cullens watching me. I was positive that at least Carlisle knew what I had said.

I swiftly moved away from Gabriel and over to Edward. His bright topaz eyes were haunted...dead looking. It tore my soul in two to see him so hurt. I wrapped my arms tightly around his neck, kissing him passionately.

"I love you till death," I whispered, the hint of a sob in my voice. "Please forgive me, but for once I have to keep you safe." He kissed me back, tightening his hold around my waist. I continued, I had to tell him everything I felt at that moment, and I had to do it in a few short seconds. "At first when you came back into my life I was shocked, and I was so hurt, but I'm not hurt anymore. Trust is love and always and forever will I love you. I will always trust you." I kissed him again, pausing briefly to get my last kiss for what I knew would be along fight. "I'm going with Josh to save you and your family...never once doubt that I don't love you. I'm telling you this straight, I may have to do some things, that I don't want to." He growled loudly at this, but I silenced him with another kiss. "Just remember that all I will think about is you. I will love you till I don't have any venom in my body. I'm never his...I never was. I'm yours."

I couldn't speak anymore, but I had to. I had to if Edward was to understand. He needed to understand, for I knew that it would kill him to ripped apart from me as it was killing me. "Eternally." Our bodies were so close together that we should have been fused as one. It would have been less painful that way.

"I will come fore you," he whispered, the sorrow creeping into his tone as much as mine. "I won't rest until your mine again."

"I have a plan." I kissed him like I never had before. The feeling of heaven returned, sending me my salvation. My angel.

I moved away from him, out eyes still locked. How would I do this? How could I? And then I was all too easily reminded of how Josh had been tearing Edward to pieces.

Slowly I moved towards the door. I turned, staring all of them in turn directly in the eye. Arielle was grinning broadly, she knew what I was up to. The sneaky devil. I looked Gabriel hard in the eyes, and said in a clear voice.

"Je serai arrière." I jerked open the door, once more looking at Edward and his bleak gaze. "I promise," I whispered even more quietly. He gave a short nod to let me know he had heard me. And then, I was gone...

EPOV

As soon as my love walked through the door away from me, I launched myself trough the dividing wall. I blew a hole right through it. Hoping...praying that someone would just kill me.

I heard my family and even the other three scream my name. Panic was colored in so many of their tones. I stood up shakily, and punched another hole right through the wall. I kept up at this for an immeasurable rate. No one could catch me. I was throwing things left and right. The kitchen counter, the oven, the couch, even a piece of the stairwell.

I couldn't feel anything but loss...emptiness without my Bella. The whole that had presented itself the last time she was away fro me, had stretched over my whole entire heart, leaving a black abyss. I cared for no one. No one but Bella.

I ran through another wall, this time Emmett wrapped himself around me, and brought me down. I began punching him to, but he wouldn't let go. Alice was instantly beside me. Carlisle, Jasper, Esme, and Rosalie right behind.

"J-just let me d-die," I sobbed. My body was heaving so heavily that I never thought I would calm down. I felt broken. Dead, even more than I was already. Never did I want to breathe again. Running and music were things that couldn't be enjoyed without Bella.

"Edward no," I heard Alice whisper. I sobbed harder, wishing that tears would fall from my eyes.

"Please," I begged, punching Jasper in the stomach with every ounce of strength I has left. "The pain...let me die."

In a second I felt a sharp, cold slap across my face. I was in so much shock that my sobs were starting to die down. My family was standing around me staring, wide-eyes, their mouths agape at one person, who had her arms folded over her chest in...annoyance.

Arielle the girl who looked, but didn't act like an angel. The one Bella had been so over protective of, was staring at me with a very irritated expression on her face. I opened my mouth to speak, but I was over-whelmed by the pain stabbing at my heart with a white hot knife.

Another slap ran across my face, and this time I looked up, my eyes blackening. She stood there as smugly as I had even seen someone look before in a moment like this.

"None of uz are going to let zou die," She snapped in a strong French accent. I just stared, too shocked to speak. "Bella would zrow herzelf of a cliff before zhe would let anyzing hurt zou. Incaze zou hadn't notized Bella had a plan. Never in her right mind would zhe let anyzing happen to you, and NEVER would zhe want zou to hurt youzelf. Zo get up and ztart acting like a man!"

The room was silent for several very long moments. Then there was a suppressed giggle from somewhere in the room. Immediately I knew who it was. I snapped my head, so fast it would have looked suggesting to a human, towards Alice.

"I'm sorry Edward," she said in a voice clearly split between pain, hysteria, and amusement. I took into notice that she was rubbing Jasper's stomach, guilt roared within me. "I know how much this is killing you, and I know that it's killing all of us. But she has a point. Bella said she had a plan, and I knew that none of us are going to let anything happen to her. If not for our own personal liking of Bella then for you." She directed her comment at Rosalie, who glared at her.

"I never like Bella when she was a human because of just that. She was human! I knew she would e fine as a vampire. The only reason I gave her mean glares ow, because after all you two have been through she was giving up on your love. Both of you were being total hypocrites."

Every one was shocked by her truthful statement, even I had too double check she was telling the truth in her brain.

I'm sorry Edward. She told me. I nodded my forgiveness, then turned to look at Bella's other family.

All of them were torn apart. I knew they had never expected their only father to be killed by their brother, and then have their sister run away to try and save people they didn't even like. I felt helpless in more ways than one.

I watched them more intently. Arielle was holding the young boy...Jamie's hand, her eyes filled with an arrogant mischief I never would have expected in a time like this. The younger boys mind was frantic with statistics of how all of us...even my family, would get out of this intact. Gabriel was a hard stone, his head buried in his hands, his mind devoid of any train of thought.

"I won't let my sister die," A small voice said from out of nowhere. It shocked me out of my study of Gabriel. My head snapped towards Jamie, the handsome boy who was in my calculus class. "She may have a plan," he whispered, shivering slightly. "But I have a better one."

sentence in French:

1."Keep them safe. When the time comes be ready for what you have to do. They'll help you."

2. I'll be back.


	9. Terror

I apologize for not updating as soon as I would have liked. And I thank all of you for being extremely patient with me. This chapter is shorter than I had planned, but it will be the shortest chapter that you will ever get from me. Disclaimer: no! I do not own twilight.

BPOV

The second I stepped outside, Josh grabbed a fistful of my hair, and began to drag me across the lawn to his car. I tried to struggle, but he used his gift on me, forcing me not to move. I was utterly helpless.

My mind raced back to Edward. The looks of pure devastation on his face, was enough for my heart to snap in two. I already missed him, though I couldn't hear anything going on inside the house. And then,

There was loud crash that sounded as if the living room wall had been knocked in. Then another. Things started hurtling out of the windows, I saw the couch fly across the living room, and blow its way through the opposite wall, landing upright on the grass.

I could hear the screaming coming from inside. The sweet voice of my angel asking to die. Over and over again Edward asked to let himself die, and it killed me to hear it. Knowing that I had caused this pain to prevent him from another one.

Sobs racked my body, as I was thrown into the backseat of my camry. My whole body trembled with the ache that was Edward. The hole where he had belonged. I struggled against Josh's influence and managed to break free, sprinting out of the car and up the lawn, only to be re-captured by a steely grip. I kicked him in the knees hard, but he didn't give. "Let me go," I hissed, trying to find a way to knock him out.

"Never," he seethed in a malicious tone. I shuddered involuntarily, but fought my way through it. I had to get to Edward. "Do you remember what I can do to him?" I stopped struggling, my heart smashed into scattered pieces.

"Yes," I whispered, trying to hold back my sobs.

"Good."

Josh easily carried me back to the car, not bothering to be remotely gentle with me. I growled under my breath, but he didn't seem to notice. I couldn't read his thoughts, so I hadn't a clue where he was taking me, but I knew it wasn't anywhere I wanted to be.

He sped flew out of the driveway, already doing a hundred and fifty before he reached the highway. I had managed to sit in a comfortable position, before dealing with the problem at hand.

I didn't have a plan.

I had lied to give Edward some piece of mind, but now I was regretting it. I didn't have the slightest idea how I was going to get out of this one. In the words of Gabriel, 'I was screwed.'

EPOV

I stared blankly up at Jamie, the eleven-year-old boy who was a mathematical genius. He smiled at me, his eyes holding hope.

"What's your plan," Carlisle asked kindly.

"It's quite simple really," Jamie began, but Gabriel cut him off.

"Before you begin, I am going to warn you don't give any more than three statistics on how this is going to work out. It crushes my morale." Jamie shot him a scathing glare, but agreed.

"Well if I am correct, like I usually am, Josh will take Bella to our safe house. It's up near the lake, and surrounded by thick woods. Even with improved hearing Josh won't hear us approach. I'd say we would have a two out of---."

"Jamie!" Gabriel growled, shooting his brother a black stare.

He gulped.

"My plan is that Gabriel here, walks up to the front door, while we are all hiding at a far point in the woods. He'll ask to see Bella to make sure she is still in a living condition. If I know anything, Josh won't be stupid enough to tie her up but he'll probably have her locked in a room with steal doors. Not that that will help much, but it should keep her there.

"The rest is quiet simple. As soon as Gabriel is let into the cabin, we'll sneak up. Gabriel will start a fight with Josh, causing the distraction, and then Emmett, Jasper, Carlisle, and I will have the element of surprise and start to rip him to pieces."

I snarled, I should be the one to rip that slime ball into a million little pieces. Jamie seemed to understand where I was coming from, and gave me a small grin.

"We would have to work fast, but if we beat him just enough in the tiny time frame we have, he'll be too week to use his gift on us. Then Edward will come in and retrieve Bella; you have to run, as fast as possible, but from what I have heard you're extremely so I don't think that will be much of a problem. "

I was somewhat flattered by this. Never in the wildest parts of my brain, would I think that I would ever receive a compliment from Bella's new family. I nodded showing my approval at this.

"When you run her out there, hand her to Alice, who will run her two miles up the woods where Rosalie will be waiting. Rosalie will take her another three miles back to the high way, where Esme will take her back to your home. Where Arielle will be waiting."

"Why can't Bella just run?" Jasper asked, in a slightly confused tone.

Gabriel snorted with laughter.

"I thought you knew Bella as a human?" He laughed, though it was a strangled chuckle. "She trips over everything, even with the whole grace thing."

I grinned. If Bella and I ever got out of this, I would carry her around for the rest of my life.

"When should we start aligning into our positions?" Esme said pulling out a silver phone from her back pocket.

"It takes about fifteen minutes to get to the lake from here going at a hundred and twenty. Were going to have to run, if we want to have stealth. Alice you'll follow us into the woods but will stop a quarter of the way in, Edward will cover the most ground out of all of you."

"Why do they have to switch?" Emmett asked Jamie, raking one hand through his dark curly hair. "Why couldn't Edward just run her the whole way?"

"Switching is safer. It disguises her scent from Josh, in case he manages to get out of the house alive. And that way we'll have back up if were not winning the fight."

"Smart," Carlisle murmured under his breath. Jamie didn't seem to take much notice, but I could clearly see a small grin creeping the way onto his face.

"I can switch it so that someone else can run Bella," He asked, trying to accommodate me.

He looked up at me, as if asking for my approval. "I'll run all the way around the world and back before I let anyone touch Bella," I replied, hoping to assure him that I would run as much as possible.

"Good." He looked relieved, as he turned towards the broken coffee table, and picked up the pad of paper that at one point had been sitting on top of it. Carlisle handed him a pen before he could even ask for one.

"Thanks." Jamie began to draw a neat map of where we would be switching Bella. "Edward you will run five miles to Alice who will run two, then to Rosalie who will run about three and a quarter. Esme you'll have about three also, to get back to your home. Then I suggest you bring the car back to the cabin, pick up Rosalie, Alice, and Edward along the way."

He turned to Arielle, who had bee picking her fingernails during his plan. "If anyone gets near the house I want the windows shattered, and their bodies to drop. We'll give you the ok when were a mile away."

I stared between the three Grays in bemusement. I opened my mouth to ask what they were talking about, but Alice got to it first.

"What do you mean, windows shattered?" I knew she was thinking about out newest installment into the house, her stained glass window that had replaced the other windows in her room.

"Think of Arielle as a…"Jamie was at loss for what to describe his sister as.

"A banshee," Gabriel suggested.

"Banshee!" Arielle scoffed. "Please, zose idiotic creatures have nozing to do with me." She flipped her white blonde hair haughtily over her shoulder, and glowered at Gabriel.

"What can you do," Carlisle asked, his voice sounding a bit wary of her now.

"I can zcream in a high pitched zrill that cauzez all glazz to shatter and vampires to become unconzcious, humanz uzually die if I get to zoud." She spoke as if her gift was nonchalant.

Gabriel coughed. "You are the equivalent to a banshee," he argued. "A humans blood vessels will burst if you scream too loud."

She rolled her eyes. "Zo."

I could feel the tension radiating between, and I was standing across the room. They squared off, their eyes narrowed at precisely the same angles, their jaws clenched in the same way. The only thing that came to my mind was they had spent too much time living together.

"Jamie interrupted their glares, by stepping in between them and wrenching their bodies away from each other.

"We don't have time for this!" He screamed in exasperation. "Bella could be dying at this very moment." Gabriel shot one nasty look at Arielle before stalking off to the other side of the room. 

"We need to leave in the next five minutes, does everybody know their positions."

We nodded. Arielle screeched in sheer irritation.

"All I zet to do iz guard zhe houze!"

"Suck it up Froggy," Gabriel said, elbowing her in the ribs. I choked on my laughter, hoping to hold it in.

"How zare you call me a Frog! It waz already bad enough being called zat wretched animal by the English in zhe early eighteen hundredz, but now to be called zat by my own---." Gabriel clapped a hand over her mouth, muttering something menacing in her ear. She scowled, biting his hand playfully before he let go.

"That's my frog," he chuckled before walking back over to Jamie's side.

The small boy was bent over the small piece of paper, scribbling an incoherent picture onto its white surface. His head suddenly shot up.

"Let's go," he whispered, handing Carlisle the small paper.

BPOV

The horror that filled my chest as Josh parked on the dirt path that led us to Gideon's safe house, was terrifying. I gasped.

Once I had called this place a sanctuary, a home away from home, where I could retreat into my own thoughts. Several summers ago I had lived here for the whole three months of summer vacation. It was the summer that reminded me the most of Edward.

Now this was the farthest place from safe that I could have ever imagined. All my body was aching for Edward. All I wanted was he to be holding my hand telling me how much he loved me.

Josh wrenched my thoughts away from Edward, and back onto my miserable situation. He was grinning in a twisted sort of way that made me want to vomit.

"Come one," he whispered in my ear, picking me up in his arms. I snarled a very feral sound and struggled my out of his grasp. I fell to the ground with a loud 'thump' causing him to laugh loudly. "Lets go."

He dragged me by the hair kicking open the cabin's wooden door. None of us had been there in over two years, so the place was coated with dust. It was sickening, I was sure Esme would have had some fun with it. My body made a clear streak on the cabin's floor, the dust gathering around my jeans.

"So," he whispered, licking his lips. Josh was standing over me with a malicious gleam in his eyes. "What should we do first?"

I growled, kicking him in the shins. The pain didn't register on his face; bit anger flashed in his now coal black eyes. Fear rushed over me. He looked so murderous.

"I'll ask you again," he growled in a much harsher voice. "What are we going to do, to pass the time?"

I didn't answer; my throat closed with the horror of what he could possibly do to me. What would he do to me? I was utterly defenseless if he used his power.

I gulped, which brought a smile to his face.

"I think I have the perfect idea." He bent down, lowering his lips to mine. I didn't respond to his kiss, until he hissed. "Remember what I can do to your precious Edward?" He kissed me again and this time to my complete hatred I kissed him back. 

"Better," he grinned, pushing my shoulders down to the floor of the dusty cabin.

I shivered, not liking where this was heading. I tried to push him away but I felt powerless. He was using his power on me.

And then to my great relief, a knock resounded on the door. I was saved for the moment.

EPOV

We had assembled ourselves into a running line outside of the Grays home. Gabriel and I were in the front, behind us were Arielle and Alice, behind them Emmett and Jasper, then Rosalie and Jamie, then Esme and Alice.

I started running breaking out into a full sprint by the time we reached the coverage of the woods. I was surprised that Gabriel was only a few feet behind me, the rest were trailing along by a few yards.

It took us only a few moments I was pushing myself faster and faster. I shot through the woods like an unseen blur, which was constantly reviewing Jamie's facts in my brain.

It would take us little over an hour to get there, but then Gabriel would be there immediately knocking on the cabin's door. I could feel Bella's presence as we enclosed the cabin area. I felt a hand stops me from behind and I slowed to a human pace.

It was Gabriel.

"Were nearly there," he hissed under his breathe in such a low voice that I barely heard it. "Remember don't come in and get her until you hear the fight starting." I nodded; I knew the plan better than he did.

We crept into out positions as Gabriel walked slowly as a snail up to the cabin front door, he knocked once. At first I believed that Jamie had been wrong and that no one was inside. My hopes were shattered; I would never see Bella again.

The wooden door swung open in an instant to reveal Josh a crude glare on his face. "What do you want," He hissed loudly.

"To know if Bella is living," Gabriel spat with just as much malice as Josh had.

"She's alive."

"Can I see her?"

"No." Gabriel snarled.

"She's my sister, let me see her!"

"Pick your battles Gabe," Josh mocked, licking his lips thirstily.

I edged closer towards the cabin, barely able to restrain myself from running in and grabbing Bella. But I waited like I had been told to, watching the scene before me with narrowed eyes.

"I will," Gabriel whispered before lunging at Josh knocking him over backwards.

In a blur of bodies, Carlisle, Emmett, Jamie, and Jasper flew out form the woods and into the cabin. I waited until almost instantly I heard Emmett snarl the ok.

With as much speed as I could gather I darted out from the coverage of the forest and into the cabin. Josh was underneath a pile of malevolent vampires. His week attempts at controlling them were strained, but he had managed to hold back Jasper and Carlisle from the killing him. I rushed past them and found Bella on the floor in the corner.

Her eyes locked with mine, safety filling those beautiful orbs of gold. I carefully picked her up, letting her rest her head on my shoulder before racing her back out of the cabin. All the way I whispered how much I loved her in her ear.

A/N: Ok so that was it, not as long as the other chapters but it was fairly decent, eight pages not too bad. There are spelling errors I will say that my spell check didn't really work today. On a brighter note my next chapter will be up in a few days. I have practices for a tournament this upcoming weekend so I wont be able to update sooner.

I'm rambling, I hoped you liked it, REVIEW! 


	10. Angelic Fire

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight. A/n: this chapter is dedicated to my dear Meghan. Why, Because you have been so supportive and very nice about all my spelling/grammar mistakes when you proof-read my chapters! I hope you like Jamie's gift.

Chapter eight.

EPOV

I ran as fast as I could towards my destination; Alice. The thick greenery blocked my way, but I swatted it aside, praying that my legs would go faster.

It only took me a few seconds to reach Alice, her elfin face filled with a worry no one could describe. She waited for us, sitting on a bed of springy ferns.

"Your okay," she breathed, taking Bella into her arms. Bella still hadn't moved an inch, her eyes still tightly closed.

I kissed her lightly on the top of her head. "As if you didn't know," It should have came out more of a joke, but with the situation we were in, it sounded rude.

She ignored me, cradling Bella closer to her small body. "You should go," she finally stated, getting ready to run to Rosalie. "They'll be needing you soon, Josh is putting up a better fight than expected."

I nodded, my insides filling with horror. Had Josh possibly broken through Emmett, Jasper, and Carlisle. Not to mention Jamie who seemed to be extremely strong for an eleven year old; even for a vampire, and Gabriel. In a flash she had raced away, and I did the same in the opposite direction.

Sprinting, I made it back to the cabin in a matter of seconds. I stood, staring numbly at the smoking cabin.

What had they done.

Golden-orange flames licked the the cabins exterior, giving it an eerie glow. Half of the roof had caved in, and the other half was about ready to break apart. Each wall had human sized holes in them. I could distinctly make out the shape of Emmett's torso in the wooden walls. He had obviously had some fun.

The worst part, was that I could still hear them fighting inside the burning building.

I raced inside a whole in the wall to be met by a furious Jasper. Never had I seen him so angry, his eyes were pitch black, and his blonde hair held some ash. I gave him a reproachful look, before asking,

"What the hell happened?"

"Josh got away!" He growled. "The fire started, and Emmett became distracted and then he escaped. He can barely run though, so Gabriel and Carlisle went after him."

I nodded curtly, my already cold insides freezing over. "Emmett and Jamie?"

"Here," two voices echoed from the burning house in unison.

"Lets get out of here before the house collapses on top of us," I snarled, running out of the cabin. I felt them following me out onto the grass. I stopped, whirling around to watch the last remnants of the cabin burn.

It must have been a beautiful place. I could still see the polished oak fighting back against the crackling flames. The majestic door, engraved with a gargoyle for safe-keeping, had fallen over in spite of its strong hold. Smoke billowed up high into the air. Fire trucks would arrive in an hour.

"Who started the fire," I hissed, turning on Jasper, Jamie, and Emmett. They took a step backwards, knowing the range of my temper.

A small cough came from Jamie. He shakily raised his hand, not meeting my black glare. "Um...that would be me," he said his voice quivering.

"It wasn't really his fault though," Emmett said in his defense. I rounded on my brother, shocked that he could defend the person who had let out plan fumble.

"How...Why..." I seethed letting my words drip with as much menace as I could muster.

"He's a fire starter," Jasper stepped in.

I reeled. A fire starter?

"Fire starter?" I questioned, eying Jamie with a new caution. I knew there had been something to be wary about before, but this...

"Josh jumped on him, and was controlling him, when he got angry and threw him off the only way he knew how."

"How come we didn't about this?"

"I don't use my power much," Jamie interrupted. "It causes to much trouble. I...had some problems when I was human."

We turned to look at his bashful face. I tried to look into his thoughts but found he was blocking me. Many year of experience from living with Bella.

"I was a pyromaniac, you could say, and I was really good at messing with fire and not getting burnt. I also had a severe case of...depression. Though it wasn't really called anything back then. If you can put two and two together, all of my attempts at taking my own life ended up with me starting a fire. Somehow when I was changed, I was able to start fire mentally."

I stared at Jamie my mouth slightly open in surprise. At first I felt shock, then pity, and then a realization hit me. Was this always why Bella had been so over-protective of him.

"Does Bella know?" I asked, my mouth dry.

"Yes."

"So that's why she's so overbearing around you," Emmett said, an awe-struck note to his tone.

"She thinks I am going to go all suicidal again, and go an piss off a group of vampires. That's why she wouldn't let me fight you...you could easily rip me to pieces and then I could take care of the burning process."

"Interesting," Jasper mused. "How were you turned?"

Jamie grinned slyly. "I got smart and pissed of a street gang, they took care of me, but what they didn't know that a very nice vampire was waiting just around the corner."

"Gideon." I stated plainly. He nodded, shuffling his feet embarrassedly.

"We better get a move on," Emmett said, looking into the deep of the forest across from where he was standing. "I hear something."

I listened as hard as I could, the sound of light footsteps coming lightly from the trail where i Had just returned from carrying Bella.

"Be on guard," I warned them. I sidled into a crouch, as they followed suit.

We listened to light footsteps coming closer, until they were a hundred yards into the forest.

Edward, it's me

I stood up into a normal position, motioning for the others to do so too. Jasper was already standing, he knew who was coming.

In an instant Alice sped out of the cover of the trees, her spiky black hair whipping around her ashen face. She had a grim look on her face as she skidded to a halt before us.

"What's wrong?" I started in. "Is Bella ok? Where is she? Did you get her to Rosalie?"

She cut me off. "Edward, she's fine. She's till not moving but she's...alive. Or as alive as anyone in our situation can be."

"Then why are you here?" Jasper asked, walking over to wrap his arms around her small frame.

"I saw---." She was cut off by a deep feral growling coming from my left. I didn't know what hit me, as I was sent flying through the air and into a tree, uprooting it. I stood on my feet, my eyes meeting Alice's frantic gold ones. Something hard collided with my chest, shocking me for the second time. I landed on my back, unable to catch myself.

I struggled to break free, but I felt myself, paralyzed...helpless. It could only be one person. Something flipped me over so I was laying on my stomach.

"Gotcha now," A malicious voice whispered in my ear.

BPOV

Paralyzation ran through out my dead body. I tried to fight it but it swept over me as if I was once again human. A weak human.

Josh growled, making a murderous face, as he had to pull away from me. With one glare in my direction he moved to open the door. It nearly fell of the hinges with the force he used. "What do you want," He hissed loudly.

Relief flooded through my system. Gabriel had come to my rescue. For some reason I remembered what he had told me about his parents. They had named him Gabriel after the angel, and now he was my second angel.

"To know if Bella is living," Gabriel spat with just as much malice as Josh had.

"She's alive."

"Can I see her?" Let him in, I wanted to scream. Gabriel glanced at me, I could see his eyes turning black.

Edward is coming for you. Jamie has a plan. Don't do a damn thing.

Somehow I managed to nod once, before returning to my state of paralysis.

"No."

Gabriel snarled at his answer, baring his teeth. I could tell he was ready to attack Josh. He couldn't, he would easily be killed. I tried to motion for him to stop, but I couldn't move my body.

"She's my sister, let me see her!"

"Pick your battles Gabe," Josh mocked, licking his lips thirstily.

I cringed as he did this. Why was Josh doing this? Was he that deeply succumbed into his anger that he had to drag the Cullens and his own brother into this. He had even killed Gideon, his own father.

"I will," Gabriel whispered before lunging at Josh knocking him over backwards. I was shocked. My eyes grew wide, and my face drained of any flush it had sustained after feeding.

What are you doing! I screamed silently in my head.

Josh and Gabriel were fighting on the floor, it was a bloody battle, but Josh wasn't using his gift...yet. In a second flash Emmett, Jasper, Carlisle and to my horror Jamie rushed in launching themselves into the fight.

"Jamie no!" I croaked. He didn't pay attention to my pleas, but kept on attacking Josh. I knew what would happen in Jamie lost control.

Emmett growled loudly, and in the next second my angel came racing through the door.

Our eyes connected, and immediately I felt safe. He was by my side in an instant, picking me up gently in those perfect arms. I felt no need to let myself be in this world any more. Though I could not sleep, I shut my eyes as Edward ran me away from the cabin into the thick coverage of the forest.

"I love you Bella," he whispered, while running. I didn't move, I was unable to a sense of fatigue washing over me. I had never felt this before as a vampire. "I want you to know that. I will always love you. When this is over, I want you to marry me. Will you do that for me. We can have Gabriel and Jamie and Arielle living with us if they want. Carlisle won't object."

I wanted to smile. I was elated, this was going to be ok. Nothing could ever h hurt Edward or I when we had each other.

He stopped running abruptly, handing me to another pair of arms. I didn't want to move away from him, but the other arms felt comforting too. Somehow I knew it was Alice.

The exchanged quick words, that I didn't bother to try and listen too, and then she was running.

"Bella," Alice whispered, slowing down. Could she be done running already. "Can you hear me?" I didn't answer. "Try and wake her will you Rose."

Rosalie! I began to panic. How could Alice do this to me? She was handing me off to the one person who would probably like to dump me off into a river. I tried to scream in protest, wanting to say that Alice or Edward should take me, but I couldn't move. My body wasn't responding to my brain.

A fear so strong that it took over every single one of my senses, filled my insides like lead. I could breathe...I could think, but my body wasn't functioning.

Someone help me! I screamed in my thoughts. Oh god, someone please help me. Edward, Alice, Carlisle, Gabriel...

At that very moment I wished more than anything that Edward could read my mind. Then he would be able to get me out of this place that I liked to call my mind.

The world began to move underneath me again. I was running in the arms of Rosalie. What was she going to do to me? I knew that she would never physically hurt me, but still it terrified me. Rosalie loathed me.

"Bella," a soft voice whispered from above me. I was shocked to find that the voice belonged to Rosalie. "Can you hear me?"

YES!

"Come on wake up," she muttered to herself. "I don;t know how to wake you." Her voice was thick with distress. Could Rosalie possibly care about me?

"Rosalie?" Esme'e voice rang through out my superb hearing.

"I'm here."

"How's Bella?"

"She's not moving or doing anything to prove she's alive, but she's breathing. Alice says to try and wake her up if you can."

"Oh dear," Esme whispered, carefully lifting me from Rosalie's protective hold. "I'll take her to Arielle, then bring round the car."

I felt Rosalie nod before rushing off back in the direction where she had come from.

"Bella, sweetie?" Esme's sweet voice said ripping through my panic. "Can you hear me?"

My lord, yes I can hear you. All of you. Get me out of this!

"I'm going to take you back to Arielle now, she'll watch over you till we all get back."

If I could have I would have sighed. Arielle would be watching me. Maybe she could wake me up with her banshee scream. It has been known to wake people out of irreversible sleeps. Suddenly I felt much calmer.

Once I reached Arielle everything would be all right.

Esme took of running. It took her a few minutes, before I heard her dainty steps walking up the stairs leading back to her house. We were at the Cullens?

"How iz she?" Arielle's French accent cut through the air. I could practically smell the tenacity flaring off her.

"She's not responding," Esme informed her.

"I've zet up Edwardz room." Esme raced me up the stairs and into the most beautiful smelling room. It smelled Edward over every inch of it. The smell calmed me slightly as my panic had resurfaced.

They laid me down on the bed, where somehow I slipped into a quiet darkness.

EPOV

A snarl ripped through the air that caught me by surprise. It hadn't belonged to me or Emmett or even Jasper.

Josh was ripped off my back and thrown into the nearest tree. I rolled over onto my back looking up at the figure of Jamie, hovering nervously over me. I grinned gratefully at him as he extended a hand to help me up.

"You all right?" He asked once I was back standing on my own two feet.

I nodded, before returning my attention back to a very battered looking Josh.

His pale skin was torn in some places, his throat was slashed as well as his arms and his shirt which was merely more than tattered cloth by now. He growled lunging at Jamie, but Emmett blocked the blow and threw him back into the tree, this time knocking it over.

"You think he'd just give up," I heard Emmett mumble to himself.

I smirked, searching for Gabriel and Carlisle. Carlisle appeared next to Jasper, watching the scene before him with a frown to his features.

"We're sorry," Carlisle muttered, rushing over to my side. "We lost him somehow, but I take it you've found him."

"Where's Gabriel?"

"He went after Josh when I said that I would return back here to warn you. My guess is that he should be here any moment."

I nodded, starting to saunter towards Josh. A deep hatred coursed through my venom filled veins. I was going to kill him for taking Bella away from me when I had just gotten her back.

A blurred figure appeared out of nowhere, knocking a staggering Josh back onto the ground. Immediately from the quick actions I could tell it was Gabriel. He struck Josh with a brain rattling blow.

This was my chance. I ran toward Josh who was just recovering from Gabriel's attack, mauling him over. I wasn't alone, Emmett, Gabriel, Jamie, Jasper, and to my surprise Carlisle had joined in my attack.

In a few short seconds Josh was dead. Jamie quickly let a small jet of fire escape his palm and start burning the putrid man's body. He was officially not a problem any more.

I turned towards my Carlisle. He had a humorless smile on his face. I took a deep breath, hoping to express my need in a few short words. "I want Bella," I said in a bleak voice. He nodded, understanding, I could tell he wanted to get back to Esme.

He motioned for the others to follow me home. I broke into a run, my thoughts consumed of Bella's infectious smile.

We met Esme half way, Rosalie and Alice were already inside the car. They had taken the only large car we owned; a giant Suburban. Exhausted from the fight, I reluctantly climbed into the back seat next to Gabriel and Jamie. Rosalie and Alice sat on Jasper's and Emmett's laps, looks of relief crossing their faces as they saw them.

Esme took off, speeding as fast as the car would allow. "Thank you," I whispered to Jamie and Gabriel.

Gabriel shrugged, going back to his brooding self. I knew that he was thinking about Arielle. Jamie smiled though it did not meet his worried eyes.

"You make her happy."

"So do you," I murmured more to myself than him, but he seemed to hear my comment.

"Yes, but in a different way, and besides were all starting to love your family as much as our own, where ever you go we won't be far behind." He winked and I had to chuckle at that.

The house came into view, and before I knew what I was doing I was out of the car running at break neck speed on the way to see my Bella. I halted just outside of my room, her scent resided in there. The door swung open to reveal a very worried Arielle.

"Zhe won't wake," she sobbed dryly. "No matter what I do zhe won't wake."

My dead heart dropped into my stomach as I pushed my way into the room to see Bella her lifeless body laying on my bed. I let a small sob escape before sinking to the floor. My only thoughts were of her.

BPOV

I heard someone screaming in the distance a high pitched scream that hurt my ears. The sound was unearthly but yet it was beautiful...familiar, and then all of a sudden it stopped. Light began to return to me as I opened my eyes, smells like none other hit my nose.

I was back.

"Zat iz all I can do," I heard Arielle's worried voice say, before she tiptoed out of the room, leaving only dry sobs to be heard from a corner of the room.

I sat up abruptly staring at Edward. His face was buried in his hands, so his sobs were muffled. "Bella," was all I heard him murmur in between dry sobs. I watched as body shook with sorrow. I couldn't take this anymore.

I jumped off the bed, darting over to him. I kneeled in front of him stroking the side of his cheek with my fingers, whispering the one thing that would make him look up at me.

"Angels aren't supposed to cry."

A/N: Review! 


	11. One Word

**A/N: Thanks for the wonderful reviews! ******

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or Angels & Airwaves lyrics. **

Chapter Ten.

Shock filled his beautiful topaz eyes. "Your not real," he sobbed, trying to look away from me, but I wouldn't let him. "Your not real," he repeated.

"I'm real, I'm right here. I promise," I said my voice breaking. I was beginning to cry dry tears just as he was.

"Bella?" he whispered, looking deep into my eyes.

"I'm right here." I took his hand dragging him to his feet.

"Don't leave."

It tore my heart out to hear him say that.

"Never." 

"Do you promise?"

"Always." 

I buried my face in his chest, hoping that would let him know that I was real, and I was never going to leave him alone till the end of time.

"Bella?" I looked up into his adoring eyes, my heart melting. "Lay with me." I nodded, laying down on the bed next to him, wrapping my arms around his neck. He pulled me as close as possible so our bodies were almost fused as one, keeping his arms secured tightly around my waist.

"I love you," I murmured in his hear, before planting a trail of kisses along his neck, then onto his cheek, finally reaching his lips.

He smiled my favorite crooked smile, before murmuring, "I love you too." I wasn't sure how long we lay there, but it was long enough for both of us to enjoy some peace with each other. At least that was until I sat up abruptly remembering something from earlier. 

Edward looked up at me with a hurt expression on his face. I stared down at him, the shock plainly written on my face.

"You proposed," I gasped.

He smiled. "I suppose I did," he murmured, pulling me close to him again.

"But...but..." I was at a loss for words. He had proposed! To me! And he was taking this so lightly! "You proposed!"

He chuckled softly before kissing me tenderly. "I think, my love, that we have established that fact already," he said breaking our kiss. 

"But don't you want to know what my answer is." Did he really have the nerve to think that I would just say yes without a proper proposal. I knew what I would say, there was nothing I could refuse Edward, this being no different. But still...

A hurt expression roamed over Edward's angelic face, his features turning nervous. He was off the bed in a flash and out the door, leaving me stunned in his wake.

"Edward?" I yelled in a panicked voice. I felt like I was drowning, he couldn't have just left me...

I sat, frozen, on his bed for a few minutes before racing down stairs to find Alice rushing towards me. "Bella, no," she said reading my terrified expression. "He'll be back, I promise, he just has to do something."

"Alice, please," I begged her, dry sobs racking my body. I was a complete mess without him, a puddle of nothing. Pathetic as I was, I couldn't survive even a few moments away from him. If he chose to leave now, I knew, I would be unable to live throughout the rest of eternity. 

"Tell me where he is?" I pleaded with her, my body crumpling onto the floor. I hated causing scenes, and here I was creating a gigantic one in the middle of the Cullens living room.

"He'll be back in a few hours," Alice said, her voice soothing me slightly. "Now, your going to come with me, and I'm going to me make you my personal mannequin."

For the first time I didn't protest to what she was doing. She had to carry me up the stairs, with a little help from Arielle, and to my surprise Rosalie, and dragged me into her room.

I let them whisper together about something that slipped under my radar, each of them were blocking their minds from me. And for the first time I didn't attempt to find out why.

"Arielle will be doing your hair," Alice informed me, breaking away from the muttering circle. "I will take care of your make-up, and Rosalie will pick out your clothing."

I nodded meekly, hoping to get this over with, so that maybe I would see Edward again. Where was he? Why had he gone? We were perfectly happy, and then he had to run out at that incredibly fast pace and leave me to the cold dark thoughts of my imagination.

"Bella don't worry," Arielle whispered, laying my head into Alice's sink so she could shampoo my hair 'the correct way'. "Edward will be back, listen to Alize, she knowz everything."

I smiled wryly at her, and let her continue to scrub my hair down, listening to her hum a song that Gabriel played constantly at home. I recognized it as Symphony No. 40. A burning question spilled out before I had a chance to repress it.

"Arielle do you ever think that you and Gabe will..." I let my sentence hang, hoping that she would catch my drift.

Her reaction was definitely not an 'Arielle' reaction, the fiery temper I had expected to flare at my words, had completely vanished, leaving behind a shy and if possible embarrassed reaction.

"I do not know," she muttered, rubbing the floral smelling conditioner into my scalp.

"Why not," I pressed, surprising myself by prying into their personal lives. Never would I have done this before. "I mean, yes he is seventeen and you technically are fourteen, and there is a bit of an age gap to the blind eye but you've both been alive for over a hundred years."

"I-I..." She was at a loss for words, which astonished me. In all her glory Arielle had never been speechless, quite the opposite.

"And don't tell me you don't love him, because I know you do, and I know that he feels the same. Your perfect for each other, your the only one who can stop his sarcastic, cynical ways before they even begin."

"Your hair is finished," she snapped in a brisk voice. Instinctively I knew she was considering what I was thinking, but didn't want to let it show.

"Thank you, Arielle," I said giving her a wink, before speeding out to meet Alice.

The pixie-like vampire, met me before I could get very far, stuffing me down in front of a vanity full of a variety of make-up. Instantly as I sat down on the comfortable chair, she wheeled it around so I wasn't;t facing the mirror.

"Alice," I growled. She giggled lightly, but ignored me, and began to apply my face with make-up.

Through the whole terrifying experience, I mentally made a note of what she was putting on me. A blush that was labeled the color sunset and had a gold tint to it, light shimmering eye shadow, brown eye liner, a ton of mascara, and that was when I forced myself to stop or I thought I was going to have a heart attack, (if I could.)

"All right Bella," Rosalie said, the instant Alice was finished applying a sparkle gloss to my lips. "My turn." She grabbed my arm, pulling me over to Alice's horrifyingly large closet.

There were no apologies on either of our parts, but from that moment on it was an unspoken thing. Rosalie and I were friends...sisters. And the old icy glares and snarls were a thing of the past.

"I have picked out the perfect dress for you, and I swear Edward is going to have a heart attack. Stuttering and all."

I snorted, disbelievingly. "I don't think that's possible. Edward doesn't stutter."

"Oh he will," she reassured me.

"Especially after zis," Arielle entered, a mischievous grin playing around her pink lips. I knew that grin all too well.

"Arielle," I warned her from whatever she was planning to do. "What did you do?" She grinned, pulling glossy photo from behind her back.

I stared at it in horror.

"Where did you get that!" I hissed. She smiled, waving it in front of my face. "Give it to me that's mine!"

"It's Edward's now," she giggled, racing out of the room. I made to start after her but Rosalie held me back, an amused expression on her face.

"Nice photo," she commented trying to hold back her mirth.

I glared icily at her, before succumbing to her torture of trying to decide the right accessories for a dress I hadn't even seen yet. 

Several thoughts crossed my mind, one stood out the most. How did she get that picture? I cringed mentally, remembering the very racy photo. 

Arielle had insisted that she buy me something from Victoria's Secret, and no matter how much I had protested she had still dragged me inside. I ended up buying, on her orders, a set of black underwear, that were very scant. The boy shorts were so small that they barely covered anything, along with the bra that had matched.

When we had come home I took a shower to get all the smells of the mall out of my head, only to find my clothes were missing from bathroom along with all the towels. I wasn't' completely alone and my room was at the other end of the hall, across from Gabriel's, who would notice if I tried running. The only thing sitting on the sin counter were the under garments that Arielle had forced me to buy. In my haste to get to my room, I put them on, racing off into hallway, my hair a grudged mess. To my complete misfortune, Arielle was waiting for me with a camera. She snapped a picture of me in the lingerie in the doorway of the bathroom.

Only once when the picture was first developed had I seen it. It turned out extremely well, I looked the closest thing to a model that I had ever. The light coming out of the bathroom window flooded around my body causing me to glow slightly. The picture disappeared before I could get my hands on it.

"Bella!" Rosalie's demanding voice, snapped me out of my reverie. "Put these on." She held out a a few things that I would never get into again.

"No." 

"Bella," she sighed. "I can get Alice in here to help me if you wish and then if need be Arielle and Esme." I took the hint and went into the bathroom to throw on the wretched pieces of underwear.

I came out wrapped in a towel, glaring resentfully. My breathe caught in my chest, as I saw Rosalie holding out a short Gold dress, with thin straps. It shimmered as it hit the sun---just like a vampires skin. It was above knee length hugging my body tightly, and it fit perfectly as I pulled it on.

Rosalie, sensing I was finished, pushed open the bathroom door, pulling me by the hand. "Hair." She said at my shocked look.

Once again I was seated in Alice's chair, hot rollers being piled onto my head by Arielle, where they curled my hair. She took them out several time, making sure they were the perfect type of curl. By the time she was finished my chocolate colored hair was curled to the point where it looked as if ringlets were surrounding my whole entire head.

Alice applied a bright red lipstick, and then an even brighter red lip gloss, and then stepped back to admire their handiwork. They gasped, obviously pleased with themselves for my complete transformation. Of course I had yet to actually see myself.

"Can I look now?" I pleaded, mildly wondering what brought this all on. 

Rosalie nodded, letting me turn around only to have me stumble backwards in astonishment.

The girl in front of the mirror was not me. I had to admit I was pretty as a vampire but I looked...shocking. My hair was curled so perfectly that it fit my face like that certain style was meant for me, the red color it obtained in the sun shown more brightly than ever before. My face was even more amazing, Alice had done a superb job, taking the angel soft look and enhancing it so much I looked heavenly as my face glowed golden. But y favorite part was the dress, that had looked beautiful when I had first seen it, but now it's silky material clung to my body as if it was a second skin, the slight glitter coming off of it matching the sparkles that were emanating from my body.

"No time to gawk now," Rosalie whispered in my ear, I hadn't even heard her come up behind me. "Edwards back."

My dead heart did a flip-flop, as she handed me golden shoes that matched my dress, luckily they were only an inch high so I wasn't likely to trip.

Alice, Rosalie, and Arielle kissed my fore-head and raced downstairs, leaving me to walk down the stairs by myself. Alice said it was to 'make and entrance.'

EPOV 

"But don't you want to know what my answer is." Bella asked, an unreadable expression on her face.

I was shocked, obviously displaying a face full of hurt, and then something I hadn't remembered ever feeling, exploded in my gut. Nerves of all kind ate away at my body.

I knew what I had to do, I was up on my feet in a flash, racing out of my room.

"Edward?" I heard Bella's tortured cry from my room. I couldn't tell her...not yet, just what I was doing.

I flew down the stairs, running into Alice on my way down. Quickly, I stopped, an idea forming in my head. "Alice, get Bella ready for tonight," I said in a fast hurried whisper.

Her eyes glazed over for a second, then she resurfaced a grin on her face. In a movement to fast for me too see she threw her arms around me, hugging me like there was no tomorrow.

"Oh, Edward she'll love it. I promise I'll have her looking beautiful by the end of the day!"

I felt more at ease after she had said that. "I'll get Rosalie and Arielle to help too." Now she was off in Alice land mentally plotting how Bella would look for tonight.

In a second I was back to my rushing, I grabbed Emmett and Jasper from the living room , not giving them an explanation. They followed, somewhat disheartened that they were missing a baseball game. 

"Edward what are you doing," Emmett asked, as I clambered into my Volvo. I didn't answer as I revved the engine, Emmett and Jasper sliding in behind me. Speeding out of the drive way, I heard Bella sob then she was quiet.

I promise that you'll know later, Bella, I promise.

I was driving faster than I I thought was possible, the speed exhilarating to me. "Edward," Jasper said in a stern tone. "Your too excited." In truth I was too excited, my dead heart was ready to explode, my nerves were getting the better of me eating away at the pit of my stomach.

"I...," I started. "Emmett where are the best jewelry stores near here?" The car was silent for a few seconds as what I told them settled in. The I heard Emmett's bear like chuckle.

"You dog," he laughed. "Your going to ask Bella to marry you, aren't you?"

"Where are they Emmett?"

"Take a left on the nearest high way."

"Finally," I heard him mutter from behind me.

"You two are perfect for each other," Jasper said kindly. At least he wasn't acting the fool, unlike Emmett.

"When?" Emmett interrupted Jasper's compliments. I looked back at him to see a huge grin on his face.

"Tonight, I've asked Alice to get her ready, and then I am going to take her back to Forks for a few hours. Back to the meadow."

"Well Alice should have some fun," Jasper said dryly, hoping, like I, that she wouldn't suffocate Bella with her extreme measures to perfection.

The rest of the drive unto the jewelry store was filled with aimless talk, about random sports and how Emmett and Jasper knew all along that I would have Bella for all of eternity. Even when Bella had supposedly died.

"Pull up here," Emmett instructed, pointing to a quaint sign that read 'Evenson and Co. Diamonds.' "This is where I got Rosalie's last ring."

I nodded, knowing that I would not get Bella something as ostentatious as the giant diamond that was settled on Rosalie's finger now. Bella wasn't like that.

My brothers and I stepped out the car and then raced the distance between the car and the shops door in a few seconds. I won easily, being the fastest, though Jasper was a close second.

"How may I help you gentleman today?' A seedy looking man asked us, as soon as we entered the small shop. He was the only person on duty. To our entertainment he looked shocked to find such young boys in his diamond store.

"I'm looking for an engagement ring," I said flatly, hoping to convey that I wouldn't take any of the jewelers talk about how I was getting the best deal. That stuff worked on Emmett, not I.

An engagement ring? So young...probably a beautiful girl...hope she says yes, I know my Nellie would, if only she was on duty today. I wonder...

"Right this way sir." he motioned for us to follow him to the largest of display cases. Behind it sat row upon row of beautiful rings. None of them were right for Bella.

"Any more," I asked, his shocked look almost comical.

He barely looked at them! Those were the some of the best rings in this place...

"Right away sir." I followed him to the next case, Jasper and Emmett guffawing behind me. Once again I searched the display case finding nothing to my liking.

"Next one."

"Right. Away. Sir." He was becoming extremely frustrated with me, as I passed on the next four cases of rings. Finally at the last glass boxy full of rings did I find the perfect ring.

"Can I see that one," I said, pointing to the ring I knew that I was going to buy for Bella. The man seemed pleased that I had found something of interest.

"Certainly." He pulled the beautiful ring out of its case and held it before me. Without asking permission I took it from him, examining every inch. 

It was perfect.

Perfect because it was topaz, the gemstone that Bella had said she loved---the color of my eyes. Her eyes too. It had a white gold band with small Onyx stones set on either side of the beautiful stone. It was perfect.

"I'll take it." The chintzy man grinned toothily, taking the ring from my hand, receiving a shock by how cold my hand was.

"I will put this in a black box for you. I do hope you have luck sir." I nodded once as he scurried out of the main room and was back in an instant holding a little black velvet box, the ring neatly encased in it's belly.

I put it on my credit card, not really caring what the cost was. I checked the receipt and made a mental note to throw it out the window on the ride home, Bella would not be happy that I spent this much on her. It didn't bother me, but for some reason it seemed to drive her crazy whenever I spent large sums of money on her.

No matter what the cost, she was worth it.

We piled into the car, speeding off, my dead heart feeling unbelievably alive in my chest. I was on my way home...home to Bella.

BPOV 

My foot trembled on the heels as they stepped down the stairs slower than a snail. I was walking at a human pace, to annoy Edward further. I hadn't seen him all day, and he had left without any explanation. I was more than a little angry, he promised never to do that to me. 

As soon as I came into view of the Cullens and my few family members, I realized Edward wasn't with them. I frowned ready to break down again, not paying the slightest attention to all of their astonished faces.

"My lord, Bella," Gabriel breathed, his jaw practically to the floor. If I didn't know any better I would say he was checking me out. "You look...magnificent."

"Why thank you Gabe," I snapped, uncomfortable by all of their staring. 

"You do look wonderful, Bella," Esme complimented, coming over to kiss my cheek, before backing away gently to stare some more at me in awe. 

"Edward's going to fall over," Emmett laughed evilly.

And sure enough, Edward entered, a nervous look in his eye. He was muttering silently to himself, practicing something he was going to say. I caught snippets of what he was saying, catching words like. 'beautiful' and 'cake.'

Cake? 

He glanced up at me, his topaz eyes locking with mine. I heard his sharp intake of breathe, and watched as his jaw dropped and his eyes fill with amazement.

"B-b-bella y-you l-look so...I-d-do y-you...I..." I pursed my lips, to help from giggling violently.

Oh yes, Edward Cullen was stuttering, making his sentences run together, his beautiful words turning to mush.

"You left," I accused, pretending to be angry with him. In fact I was just as much in awe. He was wearing black a great contrast to his milky skin, no matter how much he hated it. A very expensive no doubt suit and tie.

What was going on?

He rushed to my side, taking my hands in his, looking down into my eyes wit such love that it was breath taking.

"I had to adjust a few things, before I could see you again."

I scowled. "You left and let Alice, Rosalie, and Arielle make me their personal Barbie doll."

He bent down next to my ear, holding me as close as possible, and whispered. "I will never leave your side again...not for an hour." He kissed my neck gently. "Or a minute." He did it again, intoxicating me this time. "Or a second." I let his lips trail down my neck, the familiar electricity grabbing at us.

"Edward, don't kill her again," Rosalie scolded, pushing both of us out of the house.

He pulled away smiling hugely. "We have somewhere to be," he said softly, leading me to his silver Volvo.

I didn't protest as he opened my door for me, and quickly sped off, nearing a hundred miles per hour as he did so. Speed was one of the things I loved about him, and I would have to love it just as much as he did.

"Where did you go?" I questioned, tracing patterns on the back of his hand.

"You shall see," he replied blankly.

I scowled. A surprise, he was taking me for a surprise! This was not going to be a good idea.

"Edward..." I growled.

"Bella, it will cause you no harm I promise," I glared, he was missing quite a few things that could go wrong with this surprise. "Or nor will it involve you having to exercise remotely. And please stop growling at me, I would never let anything happen to you."

I kept my frown inserted on my face, but it quickly faded as, Edward leaned over to kiss my cheek. The warmth in the wake of the kiss was amazing. "Better?"

"Better." I agreed, not bothering to tell him to keep his eyes on the road, for I knew neither of us would be hurt if he did make the car mincemeat around a telephone pole.

A peaceful silence filled the car, it was beautiful and I welcomed it. I hadn't been able to figure out what Edward had been planning all day. And Edward's surprises usually led to me getting something I didn't need, or tripping and falling on my face.

But as soon as I began to contemplate deeply about what this surprise could possibly be, the car stopped. For once I couldn't see what was beyond the tinted windows of the Volvo. That meant neither could Edward, or could he.

In an instant I had my answer, my door was being held open for me by my angel. I stepped out of the car, taking his hand still completely unaware of where we were.

And then I caught sight of a familiar bed of ferns, and the shapes in the darkness began to clear out. We were in Forks...we were at our meadow.

"Edward?" I breathed, my voice barely above a whisper.

I felt his cool breath on my neck, as he carefully lifted me in his arms, and began running at full speed. I didn't protest, still too shocked to form any real words. And then all of a sudden he stopped, setting me down on the ground.

I looked around the meadow, there was nothing different about it, except a small plaid blanket surrounded by a few white candles in the center of the clearing. I looked back at Edward who appeared nervous, he was fidgeting with his tie, until it was in a perfectly straight line.

"It's beautiful," I murmured, taking his hand and leading him over to the blanket. I sat down, leaning back onto his chest. My favorite sound played over in my brain as I listened to his easy breathing. Except now he was getting restless. I waited, thinking maybe he would calm down, but he didn't he grew more and more jittery as the seconds wore on.

"Edward," I asked, turning to face his anxious expression. I reached out, stroking the side of his face with my fingers. "What's wrong?" 

"Nothing," he lied, standing up in a flash. I followed suit, standing on my tip-toes to look him in the eye. "Dance with me?"

Huh? 

"But there's no music," I pointed out, already laying my head contently back down on the steady fall of his breathe.

"Yes there is." And as if on cue a song began to play from some invisible speakers. I recognized it faintly, as Edward hummed the tune.

_I wanna have the same last dream again __  
__The one where I wake up and I'm alive __  
__Just as the four walls close me within __  
__My eyes are open up with pure sunlight __  
__I'm the first to know __  
__My dearest friends __  
__Even if your hope has burned with time __  
__Anything that is dead shall be regrown __  
__And your vicious pain, your warning sign __  
__You will be fine ___

_Hey oh here I am __  
__And here we go __  
__Life's waiting to begin ___

_Any type of love it will be shown __  
__Like every single tree reach for the sky __  
__if you're gonna fall __  
__i'll let you know __  
__that i will pick you up __  
__like you for i __  
__i felt this thing __  
__i can't replace __  
__when everyone was working for this goal __  
__where all the children left without a trace __  
__only to come back as pure as gold __  
__to recite this all ___

_Hey oh here I am __  
__And here we go __  
__Life's waiting to begin __  
__Tonight __  
__Hey oh here I am __  
__And here we go __  
__Life's waiting to begin __  
__Tonight __  
__Hey oh here I am __  
__And here we go __  
__Life's waiting to begin ___

_I can not live __  
__I can't breathe __  
__Unless you do this with me __  
__I can not live __  
__I can't breathe __  
__Unless you do this with me __  
__I can not live __  
__I can't breathe __  
__Unless you do this with me __  
__I can not live __  
__I can't breathe __  
__Unless you do this with me __  
__I can not live __  
__I can't breathe __  
__Unless you do this with me __  
__I can not live __  
__I can't breathe __  
__Unless you do this with me ___

_Hey oh, here I am (do this with me) __  
__Here we go __  
__life's waiting to begin (do this with me) __  
__Hey oh, here I am (do this with me) __  
__Here we go __  
__life's waiting to begin __  
__life's waiting to begin __  
_  
When the song ended, Edward pulled us apart, looking deeply into my eyes. I trembled as he traced my lips with his fingers. Slowly he knelt down on one knee.

My eyes widened in shock, as he revealed a small black box, filled with the most heart-breaking ring I had ever seen. My breathe caught in my throat, then...

"Bella, I love you forever, will you make me the happiest man alive, and marry me?"

The nerves were clearly displayed on his face, as was the fear of being rejected.

I said the one word that had haunted me for twenty-five years. The one word that I loved besides 'Edward'. The one word that had brought Edward back to me. Brought the sun back into my cold existence. The word that kept me alive for years and dead at the same time. 

"Always." 

_A/N: Yay! fluff mostly fluff I know but still...and for the rest of you fluff haters there is a bit more of a plot left, and some humor between Arielle and Gabriel. I love writing Gabriel! Review! ___

_Till next time..._


	12. Love is Contagious

Disclaimer: I do not own TWILIGHT!

A/N: Sorry about the delay. I have been really into my other fic, down to the depths and have had the worst writer's block. But hey here it is another mindless chapter of Edward Bella loving.

Chapter Eleven

His pale face split into a stunning grin and let out a low shaky breath of relief. "Really?" He asked me.

In a swift movement I was sure he couldn't see, I tackled him knocking over backwards. He looked shocked; the ring box still in his hand, me lying on top of him.

"Yes," I whispered, kissing his lips with a fierce passion. My lips traveled down his jaw trailing along the nape of his neck.

"I love you Isabella Swa---Cullen," He corrected himself, smiling brightly.

"I like the sound of that," I murmured, still kissing him.

"Me too."

"I love you too, Edward."

He took the topaz ring from the box, slipping it on my finger. It was a perfect fit. I tilted my head slightly to the left, admiring its profound beauty.

"Do you like it," he whispered in my ear, sitting up quickly, me still laying on him.

"It's amazing, I love it. I'm never taking it off."

He chuckled, wrapping his arms tighter around me. "That would be the point of an engagement ring."

"It's beautiful...you're beautiful." I looked down at him, a mischievous glint in my golden eyes.

"Bella...?" But he never finished what he was going to say, my lips crashed down on his, succumbing us both to paradise.

EPOV

We stumbled into my...our home around two AM, each wearing silly little grins on our faces. Our family and Gabriel, Arielle and Jamie were waiting for us in the living room. They waited for us to say something---anything---about what happened last evening. "So..."Rosalie prompted, tapping her foot in an irritated fashion.

"So what," I replied, sitting down on the couch taking Bella with me. She giggled, re-adjusting a strap on her dress.

"Edward!" Alice scolded, her tiny face setting into an evil frown. "Tell.Us!"

"Well..."Bella trailed off, keeping them in suspense. "We're going to get married." She said in nonchalantly but I could practically hear the grin in her tone.

Alice shrieked, running over and launching herself at the both of us. "Finally, now Rose and I can plan your wedding---ooh Bella you can wear this perfect white---!"

"Alice!" Bella screamed, drowning her eager suggestions. "Hold on, we don't even have a date picked out."

I grinned. "How about September 30th?" I proposed. Bella turned to me a small frown on her face.

"How long have you been thinking about this? She accused, though I could see a small grin creeping onto her face.

"A very long time."

"September's perfect!" Alice chirped, hugging us both again before returning to Jasper, who looked lost without her.

"Congratulations are in order," Gabriel said taking over Alice's vacant spot. He hugged Bella and shook my hand, looking me straight in the eye. "Now, if you ever leave her or hurt her in any way, Jamie and I will cheerfully torture you to death." He meant every word.

"I won't leave her side, I think I'll hand cuff her to me," I joked. He cracked a thin smiled, and moved away.

"I however won't hurt eizer of you," Arielle giggled. She took us both with a surprising strength and gave us the biggest hug you could have imagined. "Welcome to ze family, Edward."

The rest of my family, shook our hands hugged us, telling their congratulations. Emmett saying he can't wait to throw cake in my face at the wedding. Bella threatened him, saying if he did she'd make sure him and Rosalie wouldn't be 'occupied' for a very long time.

Rosalie agreed to her terms.

Jamie was the last to come up to us, his eyes darker than usual. I stared into them, confused. In fact I had never seen Jamie's eyes a golden color, just black...the flat coal black.

"I don't think I need to threaten either of you," He gave me a pointed look that was a hint menacing. "Yet." Bella kissed him on the forehead. "But I expect to be invited to the wedding with style," he joked, giving Bella an 'I told you so' glance.

"Of course," Bella and chorused. I had really started to enjoy Jamie's company; he was a many-leveled person.

Alice strode over at that moment, Rosalie and Arielle right behind her. They all had equal looks of trouble written all over their faces. "Alice..." I growled.

"Don't worry Edward, we'll give her right back," Rosalie promised, evil glinting in her golden orbs.

"I don't want to go anywhere---," Bella protested, as Alice grabbed her hand and started leading her up the stairs.

"It will only take an hour," Alice said. My stomach tightened.

"An HOUR! Alice let me go." Rosalie picked her up, dragging her up the stairs kicking and screaming things like 'your not invited to the wedding any more.' They merely laughed, running her up stairs

BPOV

I spent the next few months of my life planning and plotting my dear wedding. Edward, my husband to be, didn't want any part of it. He thought it would e fun for me. Of course Alice told me the reason why was because he didn't want to ruin anything and that his input would only cause harm to anything that would make me happy.

After that I didn't really protest.

"Bella what do you think?" Alice said holding up a picture of a white rose and another of a red rose. I sighed, getting tired of this whole wedding planning thing.

"Red," I answered casually.

"Bella put more enthusiasm into your answers or Alice and I will just have to show Edward that picture of you," Rosalie threatened. I straightened up immediately, looking desperately for Arielle's help. Again she wasn't there.

As many times as I had been threatened by Rosalie and Alice, Arielle had gone "missing" for many on hours on length. Esme had taken to scolding her for being out so late as a motherly figure would. My dear French sister didn't seem to mind.

Once she had secretly confided that having Esme there was just like having her real mother back. A mother she could barely remember.

"Where is Arielle?" I complained, glaring at Rosalie who was eyeing my hair, whilst she was holding a pair of menacing silver scissors in her hands.

"Out," Alice informed me, a sly grin creeping onto her features. I didn't press it. Alice couldn't hold secrets for very long.

"Fine."

"Ok, now Bella I think that Alice and I have your dress drawn up." I didn't argue, I knew this was inevitable. Rosalie had taken to becoming my personal fashion designer for the wedding. "I had Alice draw this for me."

She presented me with a sketchpad that Alice almost always had on her. I gasped in shock, and amazement at the beautiful thing Alice had drawn.

It was a plain white dress, but elegant all the same. Oddly old-fashioned with a very thin waist and a long flowing train. There was lace edging the trim, but it wasn't a tacky type of garment but a beautiful golden styled pattern of roses.

"It's amazing," I whispered, staring at the drawing made me absolutely breathless.

"I know," Rosalie agreed haughtily. Alice snorted, rolling her eyes at our tenacious sister.

"How are you making it?"

"We already have," Alice said brightly, her golden eyes gleaming with sly determination.

"Let me see," I demanded, for once the excitement of planning the wedding overwhelming me.

"All in good time dear," Rosalie promised. "It still needs some adjustments."

"Fine but make the quick," I snapped, eager to see my dress. They both suppressed grins, and began to quickly stash away the wedding plans. I took it as a clear sign that my angel was home.

I jumped up, a grin spreading across my face. "I think we should leave," Rosalie murmured to Alice, who merely grinned in response.

Alice and Rosalie passed Edward on the way out of our room, giggling slightly as they passed. He frowned, as he tried to read their concealed thoughts. Several months of Alice and Rosalie planning were doing wonders to their thought blocking skills.

"Hello," he whispered in a seductive tone. I shivered, stumbling my away across the room the meet him.

"Hi."

"And exactly what did my sisters subject you to today?" He asked, playfully trailing kissed along my neck.

"Just went over some final details for the wedding. Nothing major."

He nodded, pushing me backwards so that were nearing his newly accustomed bed. I managed to trip over the rug that was now lying on the floor, falling backwards onto the comfortable mattress with a "oomph"

Edward grinned. "This just makes it all the more easier," he chuckled, bending down to kiss my lips tenderly.

"No." I moaned. He immediately stopped kissing me, pulling away abruptly. "Why have you stopped?" I demanded furiously, pulling the collar of his shirt towards me.

"Did I do something wrong?" He asked hesitantly.

I rolled my eyes. "No, I just said that to annoy you." I answered in all honest truth. "You deserve some annoyance sometimes. For being perfect and all."

He grinned impishly, slowly leaning down to meet my lips. I waited for him to kiss me, but he wouldn't. I scowled, staring into those deep gold eyes, my dead heart warming.

"What are you waiting for?" I groaned after a few minutes of his not kissing me regime.

He leaned down closer, his lips nearly touching mine, but he didn't come any closer. Taking the reign in my hands, I moved pressing my lips to his. He complied, grinning madly against my lips. And then he pulled away.

I whimpered in protest, wanting more to just be near him. His smile broadened, and he went back to kissing me.

"Pardon me for interrupting what could possibly be something...that I really don't want to see, but Esme would like everyone down stairs." Edward growled, glaring at a now backing away Gabriel. "We'll be down in a minute," I promised, glowering at my brother. He smiled grimly, saluting me like I was a military captain.

"I swear," I heard Gab mumble as he was heading back downstairs. "If this family were human they'd all have at least ten children."

I snorted, the giggles threatening to overtake me. Edward merely frowned.

"I could see Emmett and Rosalie with at least ten children," Edward sighed. I wasn't far from disagreeing with him. "Alice and Jasper with at least three. Esme and Carlisle possibly six of seven maybe."

"And us?" I asked hesitantly. It was never a possibility, and I had come to terms with that, never really wanting children much any ways. If they couldn't be Edward's then it was pathetic for me to want them at all.

"Maybe two or three. I do like big families but they're too crazy sometimes. Three, that's a good number." I laughed, kissing him on the cheek.

"Three," I agreed. "I like it, it's a good number."

He kissed me, another grin this time more mischievous than the other was settled on his lips. "How much time do you suppose we have left before Esme come sin here and yanks us out," he whispered.

The answer came almost immediately from a floor below. "EDWARD," Esme growled. He grinned sheepishly, nodding.

"Later," I laughed.

"I'll hold you to that," he said, helping me off the bed and onto my two clumsy legs.

Esme was waiting for us downstairs, her lips in a tight line that I had never seen there before. She was tapping her foot furiously, and Gabriel was eyeing her with a look of pure horror on his face. At least he knew what was going on, I thought, melodramatically. "Sorry, mom," Edward apologized, taking a seat on the couch next to Alice. I sidled into his lap, trying and failing to break into Esme's thoughts. She grinned at us, and then sat down on the opposite couch. "Well I was thinking that before the wedding we should all try and salvage what is left of the Grey's home."

"I don't want to go back there," Jamie protested, griping the couch in sheer terror.

"Tsk tsk," I said rolling my eyes. He shot me a malevolent glare, only as a brother would do. I grinned, giggling slightly.

"I was thinking we could completely remodel the home for several reasons," Esme cut in, shooting Jamie a quieting glance.

"And those several reasons would be?" Emmett asked, looking back and forth between Carlisle and her hoping to find an explanation.

"Well it would be a nice chance for us to fix up the home. It always was a very beautiful place, and besides I need something to do while Carlisle's is at work and all of you should be going off to college."

Which of course none of us were going to do. I had already gone once, and the rest, including Jamie and Arielle had gone several times before me. And I was not going to spend my first married months sitting in a boring classroom.

"Fine," Gabriel agreed. "But rest assure that once the house is done it's yours not ours, we don't want to deal with the memories in that place."

"Well when I'm finished it won't even looks the same. I'm thinking of only using the structure as a base, that's about It."

"When would you like to start on is project," Arielle asked casually. I glanced over at her, trying to muster up my annoyance with her as much as I could. I stopped myself however when I found her seated extremely close to Gabriel. Too close...

"Today."

"I suppose," Jamie said sullenly. "If we must." Esme beamed.

"Well then I assume we should be getting on the road," Alice chirped, obviously seeing what Esme was doing with the place in the future. I however was oblivious to that fact. "Yes, we shall," I said a bit grumpily. Edward sighed, resting his chin on the top of my head.

"Don't worry," he whispered in my ear as we followed his family out towards the cars. "I promise that whatever there planning, it will erase any remnant of what happened.

Somehow I highly doubted that he could erase all bad memories from that place. But it was a comforting thought that he was going to try. And that was all I asked.

We sidled in Edward's Volvo, Gabriel and Jamie following closely taking their usual seats in back. Arielle was deciding to ride with Alice and Jasper today, rather than us. It really didn't disturb me that she was spending so much time with Alice and Rosalie especially. At least I wouldn't be constantly hounded about why I was not wearing a pair of designer shoes.

"I'm not liking this," Gabriel mumbled from the back seat.

"Neither am I," Jamie agreed. Edward turned on the path leading towards our old home. The ferns still grew along the dirt road, as well did the small paths of wildflowers, but as soon as the beauty had started it stopped.

Along the path wooden splinters. It really wasn't any bodies fault, well maybe Edward's, that our house was broken into shambles. He certainly did help cause it, but no one blamed him. Especially not me.

I glanced over at him, his brow was furrowed and he seemed almost as nervous as I was, with the exception of anger in his features. I knew he did not want to be back here either. It was one of the places where Josh and I had been friendly. "Let's go," I murmured, UN buckling my seat belt and actually getting out of the car before he did. I saw him give resolute nod before withdrawing himself from his car.

His hand clasped around mine, as we started up the road towards the remaining shards that once laid my home.

A/N: You all are allowed to hate me, because I took forever to Update. I'm so sorry about that, I got really really really really really really stuck. So my dear BETA told me to get my self in gear and eventually I did. She should be proud of me!

REVIEW!REVIEW!REVIEW! 


	13. Memory

Disclaimer: Don't own the right to Twilight.

A/N: This chapter is Dedicated to ShadowGemini, because her review made me extremely happy on a very bad (rotten, terrible, any other word that describes how crappy that day was) day!

And no I have not given up on this story. I have just been restructuring the ending so that was why it was taking so long.

I stood on the flat broken ground that was once my home, a safe place that I had come to love. Now it was full of melancholy memories I would never want to leave behind.

Slowly I made my way towards the broken remnants, not getting very far before something crunched underneath my feet. I glanced down and my heart felt like it would explode, if it was beating.

Beneath the shadowed dust that was once my home, when the wooden sticks had been strong beam, was a picture frame. What was worse was that the photo had been completely unpreturbed.

I bent to pick it up, its silver frame was shattered but the glass was partly still intact. Only little spider-webs made their ways across the screen. I wanted to throw it, drop it into the next ocean I came across.

It was a picture of Gideon sitting on the deep red couch with Josh, smiling lightly next at him, his wide golden eyes were bright with love and compassion. I sat next to him, my eyes still red since it was the first year of my change, his arm draped around my shoulders. I clearly remembered hitting him for doing that, but he had said, 

"One day, you'll see the sun rise, Bella, and you'll know I was meant to be with you." And maybe it was true then, so much so that I believed it. But then again Josh wasn't the evil Josh I had come to known in past months.

The man I had known was funny, not as zany as Gabriel but he had a personality with glowing eyes that gave off life. He was not a musician, not an artist or anything really special. Just a vampire, a man, some one who I had mistaken for someone kind.

It was why I was still shocked that he had taken me away from Edward. I knew that he would have been angry...but to kill his own father. Gideon...the kindest man I had ever met. The one who had lost control and taken responsibility for his actions.

My mind flittered back to a memory of complete jealousy of the rest of my family, for taking up so much of his time. I wanted to be the one he was proud of most, and in time I eventually learned that he was happy with all of us, not any given one.

Certain images whirled past me, their colors almost blinding as they whipped past, one stood out more than the rest.

A year after I had been changed...one single year exactly Gabriel had slipped, I remembered it clearly. It wasn't one of the greatest days of my life, but it was still...strong enough to remember. 

"Gabriel!" Gideon called from his office, the mahogany door swung open and a few books toppled off from the outside bookcase.

"It'll be fine Gabe," I whispered to him, giving him a reassuring hug as he went in. I had never seen his skin so chalky, his finger like bone as he clenched them tightly.

"He'll be fine," I repeated to myself. I was still not used to Gideon's ways. Would he do something cruel? He didn't seem like that, and I knew from his thoughts before hand that he wouldn't. But why was I suddenly terrified for Gabriel.

"Are you sure?", Gabe asked, his head slightly cocked. I nodded, glancing back at Jamie who was staring blankly out of the wide bay area window. A deep storm brewed outside and small jets of smoke puffed from his pale fingers.

"He just wants to talk," I promised, not completely sure of the truth in my statement. "I think." He smiled wryly at me, before entering, a slight droop in his step.

He regrets killing that girl. I know he does, I can see it in his eyes, the crimson iris that was once filled with gold. He doesn't look right. It doesn't seem like...Gabriel.

The door shut in front of my eyes with a snap, and I instantly crashed out of my reverie, jumping suddenly. A small clutter of magazines lay behind me, collecting dust in a corner and I tripped falling flat on my back.

Our house was never as clean as the Cullen's home had been. Gideon was all for creative chaos, not any neatness was applied.

"Thinking again, Bella?" Jamie's monotone voice rang through the study. 

"I suppose," I replied, hopping to my feet and coming slowly over towards him. He was in a mood again, his eyes looked dead as he stared out into the ocean.

I didn't know much about Jamie, not much except for that he was born in the late twenties, in Boston. Gideon had found him dying, not from a rare type of cancer like I had told Edward but from his own hand. He had never been happy as far as I had seen him.

"Jamie?" I asked tentatively, hoping I could open him up in the slightest. He glanced at me and continued staring out of the window. I took it as initiative to go ahead. "How did you die?"

It was beyond personal, terrible, I knew, but it was there...I had never known his story. Arielle had been wandering the streets when Gideon found her, her eyes already a red color from the debt of human life. Gabriel was a different story he had taken to hesitance in telling me about his life.

He was the same, according to him, annoying and irritating and he slept around, also according to him. How much of it as truth was not decided upon. One of the woman's father's decided to get revenge and sent a party out into the streets to mob him, it worked partially as only a few had found him. But they nearly killed him when Gideon stepped in and saved him.

"Why?" Jamie's quiet voice cut across the quiet air of the room.

"Gideon told me about him and Josh, Arielle told me all she could remember and even Gabriel mentioned the whole...woman to woman thing. But you..."

"So I'm just another one of your projects then?" I drew back at the harshness of his tone, but I sat on the stack of books that was next to his chair. He still wasn't looking at me.

"No! Jamie...I just want to know you."

"Then tell me what happened in Forks." It wasn't a demand or an order...but it was there. I hadn't spoken to even Gideon about how I knew the existence of vampires. And here he was...asking about it so blindly.

"What do you want to know?" He looked at me, his hard stare penetrating, his golden eyes also a violent shade of red. He had cleaned up Gabriel's mistake, using the choice only an eleven year old could make. An eleven year old with a seventy year soul, that is.

"How did you know about vampires?"

"I was in love with one." I answered softly, the memory still burning like a hot knife. It had only been a year ago, hadn't it? When Edward...his beautiful face, eyes, heart...had left me so empty and alone.

"Love?" 

"Edward...he was born in Chicago...1901, he was changed by his doctor because of the Influenza."

"Doctor?" His questions were only one-worded but I understood. 

"Yes...Carlisle Cullen, he was the same as we were, they all were, the Cullens and the Hales. Vegetarian vampires as they called it. Their little inside joke."

He chuckled, secretly agreeing with it, the term did suit our lifestyle well.

"And then Carlisle found a wife...Esme, and then Rosalie who was ment for Edward, and then Emmett, Rosalie's husband. And then into the 1950's Jasper and Alice joined their coven.

"They came to Forks before I did, and all I did when I did come was raise hell for them. Edward...lusted after my blood more than anyone else's. Apparently I smelled like Freesia and he found it mouthwatering. I loved him...still do...and I always will...and then...he left me."

A long silence followed my words as I followed Jamie's gaze back out into the ocean, the colorless waves crashing down upon rocks. I turned to look at the sullen boy and found he was looking straight at me.

"Do you wish you would have died?" His words were soft little more than a whisper.

I considered them for a moment, before answering truthfully. "Sometimes...sometimes I wish that Gideon had just killed me, but then I remember that I wouldn't have ever met any of you. So...I can't regret my change." He nodded, his innocent eyes wide.

"I wish he had just left me to die," he murmured, looking down at his knees.

I didn't freak out, or run and tell, I waited patiently for him to tell his story. And he did.

"I should have been happy...but I wasn't," he whispered quietly, still not looking at me. "I had a mother who loved me and a father who did too, and we were doing pretty well for being in an age where everything was...desolate. I was just...lonely...there was no one to talk too...something didn't feel right. It never did."

"I had a few friends, Sam...and Suzanne the twins who live next door, but that was it. They didn't like to talk to me sometimes...because I was a bit of a pyromaniac." He smiled sheepishly at this bit, as if proud of his fire burning traits.

"I went to school got good marks...everything was fine, but it didn't feel like everything was right. Back then they didn't have drugs that treated depression, because it wasn't even really known about. It was what I had...it didn't carry over though.

"So...one day I began to walk and kept on walking until I fell over from exhaustion and even then...I didn't have the heart to move...I noticed a cut on my leg it was pretty gashed up. And it wouldn't stop bleeding...and I didn't even try to stop it. I didn't want to stop it."

His eyes were glossed over as he was remembering every terrible image that was forming in his brain. I saw little Jamie walking down the path, away from his home, the thought of maybe his mother worrying when it became dark.

"I didn't want to..." his voice broke off, the grief over turning his words. "My mother must have been so worried. She was always terrified I would get lost, and I did. Except I ran away...from her. I didn't even leave a note. I wish I had at least left a note...something to tell her I loved her...at least..."

He had curled up into a ball, his body rocking back and forth. It was terrible the way he had lived, but it was worse and I understood. I understood it...the depression, the aching hole in my heart.

I moved off the stack of books and picked Jamie off his arm chair and placed him in my lap, cradling him as he quietly dry sobbed. He was still only eleven. Physically and else wise. I didn't understand Gideon's decision to change him...maybe he would have been happier elsewhere.

Gabriel exited the office, his face more ashen than it was before. His breathing came in sharp bursts as he leaned against the wall for support. I picked his thoughts for the problem, finding only terror and worry. The words...Suffering...and the name Abram running through his mind.

I moved my thumb away from the picture to see Jamie and Arielle and Gabriel leaning on the back of the couch. It was a family picture...a happy family...kind of. Secrets dwelled in the past. Now that family was gone and I was back with my original one. My existence seemed to come full circle.

I glanced at the ground again, the shards of glass resembling my broken family, and I broke down.

"I can't be here," I sobbed, falling to the hard ground. Edward rushed over and wrapped his steel arms around my waist, sitting on the ground next to me.

"It's ok," he whispered soothingly in my ear. "We can go home, Esme will understand."

"We're coming with," Gabriel said from a few feet beside me. I looked up into his pale face. It looked unhealthy now, not the glowing cream I had come to expect from all vampires.

"I don't want to be here anymore, not with it like this," Jamie agreed, heading back to the car.

"I'll tell Esme," Edward rushed over towards his mother, whispering soft words in her ear before she nodded, giving a wry smile.

"It's all right Bella," she whispered. I nodded, knowing she could see me.

Edward carried me to the car, slipping me in my seat and buckling me, even though I didn't need it. Jamie ducked in the backseat and Gabriel followed giving Arielle one last longing glance before Edward took off.

The winding path moved past in a blur, the quiet roads rushing by. It was nice...the silence, everyone's thoughts had been turned off for my sake. And the luxury of just having Edward beside me was enough to calm me down another notch.

We reached the Cullen's home, Edward rushing around the car and un-buckling me quickly as if I was still human. His posture was rigid as was Jamie's and Gabriel's, who looked sicker than death. 

"Gabriel...?" I asked, concerned by his milky appearance. He didn't answer but stared straight ahead. I followed his gaze to a man who was leaning against the Cullen's porch, his dark brown hair falling into his face, the odd paleness worse than most vampires, his cheeks haunted but still handsome. But most of all, the real trigger of horror was his red eyes, as his smile flickered, lips upturning slightly at the sight of us.

"Gabriel," he said, his tone silky. "How nice to see you again." There was an undercurrent in his voice, making him sound threatening. Edward tensed beside me, and wrapped his arms around my frame even more tightly.

I glanced up at Gabriel, his eyes wide in terror, his face beyond pallid as if he was sick, and his fists were clenching and un-clenching...a sure sign of nervousness. He licked his lips, as if trying to find the words to speak.

"Abram," he whispered, the fear echoing in every trace. The man smiled. 

"Glad to see you remembered."

A/N: I will update as much as I possibly can on this, faster hopefully. I was waiting to get at a better spot of TEL and also I had to revise the ending due to some other...things in coming chapters.


	14. Forbidden Truths

A/N: You shall find out who Abram is soon enough. Serious plot revising going on due to New Moon.

"What are you doing here," Gabriel's voice was constricted the fear evident as his hands shook violently. I could practically feel the horror and nerves rolling off his cold body. This wouldn't end well.

"Gideon's dead," Abram said flatly, flicking his dark hair out of his eyes. It wasn't a question...more like an accusation.

"He died a few months ago," Jamie butted in, small wisps of smoke budding from his fingertips.

"I wasn't asking you, boy."

"Well you might as well have." Abram turned away, his eyes a flat black, a good sign that he was hungry. Really, really hungry.

Edward's grip tightened around my waist, and I didn't fight him. I looked up at him, his honey eyes straight ahead...worried, but almost angry. I made an attempt to break into Jamie's mind but he was deliberately blocking me, as well as Gabriel.

"Gabe," I murmured. Abram looked in my direction, his eyes boring into me with the utmost-loathing in them. Edward let out a low growl as he did so, almost shielding me from the man.

"Girlfriend, Gabriel?" His voice had the slightest hint of an accent in it, very sketchy but still clear.

"Sister," Gabriel replied through clenched teeth.

"Well...that'll work too."

"I wouldn't touch her if I were you."

"And why not?" Abram stared Gabriel down, his eyes deadly against Gabriel's bright ones.

"There's more of us than there are of you."

"Really When Gideon died...did you forget our little deal? Or are you just hiding behind them...?"

"I'm not hiding."

"Then you forgot, did you?"

"No..." he paused for a mere second. "I didn't forget, I just hoped you would." A smile slithered across Abram's colorless face.

"I never forget."

"Neither do I."

"Then I suppose you shall remember our little deal, then? The requirements, the consequences, the terms?"

"What are you talking about?" I burst out, the fear gripping my body. Fear for Edward, fear for Jamie, definite fear for Gabriel, and even a little fear for myself.

"Bella!" Edward hissed into my ear. "Please." he added more softly, stroking the side of my face with his cool fingers.

Abram grinned like a cheshire cat. "I'm so glad you asked. You see Gabriel and I made a little deal when we were young. You don't know the full history behind him do you? Or did you really believe his trite jokes about sleeping with women."

In truth, I wasn't really sure what to believe now. Abram was giving me all these things that Gabriel had lied about... wasn't sure if I could take it.

I turned to Gabriel, my eyes as wide as his. "Gabe?" He looked away...down at the ground.

"Well if he won't tell you," Abram chuckled, a look of irritation running across his features. "Then I will."

"Don't," Gabriel hissed, he had looked up now and his gaze was venomous. I had never seen his face twisted in that kind of fury before and it disturbed me deeply. What had he done?

"Your dear...brother went on a little bit of a well shall we call it a massacre before he met your dear old Gideon. He did die the same way as a human, he slept with the governor's daughter at the time." I shot Gabe a reproving glance and he smiled slightly, his ego slightly fluffed after that.

"But what you don't know...or didn't was that Gideon never changed dear old Gabriel." Shock settled in, Gideon had told me himself that he had changed Gabe, Josh had witnessed it. Though his opinion didn't really mean all that much to me right now.

"Wh-who...?" I barely got the words out, my throat constricting in horror. Oh Gabe, what happened...

"I did."

"You?" Jamie snapped sounding incredulous. His face was halfway between disbelief and amusement. "Your a two bit vampire who doesn't look strong enough to be near a parking lot full of humans much less change one."

"Jamie!" Gabriel cuffed the boy around the head, his hand covering his mouth.

But Abram didn't flinch or grow angry but he grinned, in a sort of attractive way that made me think he really wasn't all that evil, just willing to do anything to hold up this deal he had with my brother.

"I think..." he started, trailing off so that he could smile brightly showing off his overly-white teeth to us. "That we should have this discussion in future time. I'll see you around."

Abram was the weirdest person I had ever met. He didn't run away, flitting through the trees at the speed of lightning. Nor did he remotely even drive a car, he simply walked away into the woods whistling an eerie melody.

I stood there for a few moments staring after the man in shock. He was appealing, yes he was but not as attractive as Edward was to me. His eyes were crimson iris's but they held a simple sort of kindness that Jamie and Edward seemed to looking over.

"Who the hell was he?" Jamie burst out, biting Gabriel's thick skinned palm.

"Abram Force, his last name says it all." He answered sullenly, biting his lower lip in very Gabriel esque fashion.

"I still have absolutely no idea who that is!" Jamie hissed vehemently. "What does he mean he changed you! Seriously Gabe what the hell was he talking about!"

"I thought Josh had killed him,' Gabriel muttered more to himself than anything.

Josh! The name stirred Edward and caused him to grab my waist more tightly, holding me in a tight firm grip that said that he would never let me go. What had Josh done to Abram? What the hell was going on?

"Josh," Edward growled making his voice sound so menacing that Gabriel shuddered and took a step backwards.

"Keep the boy toy down," He remarked, looking directly at me. Edward snarled and this time he had veritable reason to. Boy toy?

"What do you mean, Josh killed him?" I questioned trying to keep my own voice under control, but before he could answer a car pulled up and Arielle and Alice got out each looking extremely worried.

Gabriel took his chance at escape and grinned, his mysterious relationship with Arielle causing them both to exchange goofy smiles with one another. "Hey Banshee girl," he said in his usually slick-talking manor.

She scowled.

"Burn in hell," she spat, stomping past him. He caught her arm still smiling at her in that somehow romantic but also all together creepy perverted way that I knew meant something was up.

"I will if you'll marry me down there." She froze her white blonde hair flying around her like sheets of golden silk. She literally looked like an angel, a very shocked angel, her liquid topaz eyes wide with astonishment and partial horror.

"You propoze to me like zis!" She snapped, smacking him across the face with a loud sickening snap! "I atleazt exzpected a ring!" And she stormed off into the house leaving Gabriel to rub his cheek with that silly dazed expression on his face.

"Edward, calm down," Alice whispered hurriedly her voice harsher than I'd ever heard it. I hadn't noticed until now that he had stiffened to the point where I might have made the mistake he was fully dead or he had passed out standing.

I whirled around to see every muscle in his face and body had gone rigid with rage. Lines of fury encircled around his beautiful mouth and stunning jaw that was clenched so tightly I wasn't sure whether or not he didn't have a disease. Even though it was truly impossible.

"He's stealing the moment away from Bella," he hissed angrily.

I rolled my eyes, and leaned on my tip-toes to kiss him on the cheek. "He's not," I promised. "Even if by some wild chance she does say yes our wedding will not be anything like theirs."

He relaxed a little but was still brooding as we followed inside, Jamie tagging along behind us quietly still mulling over the life lesson of the day.

The house, beautiful as it was, seemed lifeless without all the rest of the Cullens there, I had my family but they were now apart of it too. Edward sat me on the couch still pouting for the next several minutes, and when Gabe came in he shot him glares.

However Gabriel didn't even remotely notice. He was pacing anxiously, muttering to himself what he was going to do. Over and over again. I did my best to calm him down, but I knew it would do now good. Not now any ways.

I gave a Edward a re-approving stare, he was still pouting in the corner of the room. Looking absolutely sullen, but in a perfect way. I decided to try a new method of communication with him. Maybe this way he would let Gabriel continue on with his plan, and not be as childish.

Yes. Yes, this was the right thing to do. The only method that could possibly work with Edward, all talking was out the window. I had one option left.

Seduction.

"Edward?" I asked, shooing Gabriel out of the room with a look. He saluted to me, giving me a half disgusted smirk.

Edward's head shot up, his face looking absolutely irresistible.

Oh my. What was I getting myself into?

"Will you stop being angry with Gabe?" He scowled in defiance. I walked closer towards him, staring him directly in the eyes. He was still frowning. I moved closer, sitting on top of him, putting my forehead to his, staring down at him with pouty eyes.

"How about now."

"No, Bella," he said sharply.

This was going to be harder than I had anticipated.

I rubbed his fore-arms gently, leaning into kiss him on the lips. He complied to this action. I pulled away.

"How about now?"

"No."

My hands wandered over his chest, leading my lips to kiss his neck. I Let this go on for a little while longer, myself getting to caught up into the kiss, before pulling away.

"Now?"

"No." Though I could tell he was beginning to consider it.

I did this for another time, pulling away to ask, and he said no. Beginning to get frustrated, he kissed, first, enveloping me in a deep passion. A current of electricity shot through us, breaking my concentration. He kissed my neck, leaning forwards so his body was pressed down on mine.

And then all too soon, he pulled away. Without meaning to I let out a whimper, causing him to grin triumphantly.

"Really Bella, did you think that I wouldn't see through that attempt at seducing me." I tried my best to scowl but it came off as a breathless expression.

"Did it work?" I asked pathetically.

He grinned, leaning down to nibble at my neck gently. "I suppose," he murmured.


	15. Not Quite the Chapter: Please Read

I know I have promised to never write another Author's note again. That is something in which I have tried to hold onto desperately. Unfortunately the time has come for another one. -sighs- I know how none of you read these, but for the few that do... pass this on.

I have not finished writing Just Like You. And I will finish. I haven't had much time to be completely honest. Most of my efforts were thrown into school, soccer, and writing The Electric Lullaby and then to add to more writing my own stuff. It is now that I am considering writing a Harry Potter fanfiction within the next year that I felt the need to make an authors note.

NOTE: I WILL FINISH! Perhaps not in the time frame I originally had in mind, but I shall finish there is only a very long last chapter and then an epilogue. I have not given up and will not until I finish this story.

Now if you are still reading, even if you bothered to read this in the first place.

ELECTRIC LULLABY NEWS: I figured I may as well kill to birds with one stone on this one.

I have not updated recently because my soccer team once again has made it to State this year, but unlike years previous we have different coaches who like to devote all their time to practicing. I honestly haven't had any time to write, for which I apologize but an update should be coming within the next 3 days. If it hasn't, feel free to hound me.

I have not, and will not give up on this story either. My life has been more than hectic, which I'm sure most of you can understand. I appreciate your patience and promise you will not be disappointed when the update comes.

Love,

Bright Green Eyes


End file.
